


Tantrum

by magicgoldenflower



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, Awesome Leia, Awesome Leia Organa, Bail Organa is badass, Everyone Needs A Hug, F/M, Force-Sensitive Leia Organa, Gen, Hurt Luke, Hurt Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, Leia Organa Deserves Better, Luke Skywalker Needs A Hug, Mentioned CT-7567 | Rex, Obi-Wan Kenobi is a Mess, Padmé Amidala Lives, Padmé is such a good mom, Post-Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Protective Luke, References to Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008), Star Wars References, Star Wars rebels - Freeform, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) Spoilers, anakin is panakin, updates every Friday
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:40:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 73,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23756281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magicgoldenflower/pseuds/magicgoldenflower
Summary: After successfully delivering her children, Padmé steps up to lead the rebellion. Trying to keep her children safe from their father, she relies on Obi-Wan and Bail to help her raise them. Fifteen years later, Luke and Leia are sick of being kept in the dark. They decide to break the rules and discover a secret that will change everything they know and love.
Relationships: Bail Organa & Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Bail Organa, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Leia Organa, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Luke Skywalker, Padmé Amidala & Bail Organa, Padmé Amidala & Leia Organa, Padmé Amidala & Luke Skywalker, Padmé Amidala & Obi-Wan Kenobi, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala/Darth Vader
Comments: 70
Kudos: 207





	1. Prologue

  
Padmé takes a deep breath, her hands shaking at her side. She has never been nervous when it comes to speaking. Being the center of attention has come naturally to her since she was a child. But right now she wants nothing more than to run and hide. She wishes that she could wake up from this freakish nightmare.

Unfortunately, this nightmare is now her life.

She feels tears welling in her eyes as she thinks of him. She longs to have him at her side. She wants him to pull her close and run his hands through her hair. She craves his gentle touch. She yearns to hear his voice telling everything will be okay. They've been apart before, but this is different. He isn't off fighting in a dragged-out war. He isn't at meetings that he's dreamed off since he joined the Order.

No.

This time, he's her enemy. He's the one who helped Palpatine overthrow the Republic. He's the one who went to the Temple and murdered the younglings without a second thought. He's the one who choked her on that platform until she passed out. She doesn't like to think about what might have happened if Obi-Wan hadn't stowed away on her ship.

Though all of that is horrible and stomach-churning, there's one thing that tops all of that to her.

He broke her heart on Mustafar and hasn't even attempted to put it back together.

She tips her head back, making sure to keep it high. It's muscle memory at this point, but this time it's different. She bites on the inside of her cheek, tasting blood. She can't let him see how he hurt her. She must look strong and unbreakable, especially to the people currently in the room with her.

The hologram buzzes as it comes alive, the blue light reaching to the farthest corner in the room. A man in a mask answers the call. His breathing sends goosebumps down her arms. The deep heaving almost makes her freeze. Is this what has become of him? Some being that can no longer show his face, no longer breathe normally? She searches for some part of the man she fell in love with, but all she sees is darkness.

"Padmé." He says, almost making her breakdown right there. That voice is not his. Her name sounds like venom falling from this beast's mouth. She grips the sides of her dress, trying to steady herself. 

"Anakin." She responds, her voice trembling. So much for looking strong. 

"Anakin is dead." He instantly spits. She flinches, almost as if she was slapped. Who is this? Maybe this isn't her Anakin. Maybe this is just one of Palpatine's minions that just happened to answer the call. But he knew her name without missing a beat.

"No." She whimpers, shaking her head. She pinches her eyes shut, trying to block out whoever is talking to her. She pictures his blue eyes, his gentle smile. Maybe if she thinks of her Anakin, he'll appear in front of her. "There's still good in you."

"You are wrong."

"Please, Anakin. Come back to me." She begs, forcing herself to look at him again. The air is sucked from her lungs as her eyes study him. Where has he gone? What is this monster standing in front of her?

"No, Padmé. You must join me." He says, his hand reaching out to hers. She sniffles, thinking of a time before this. She hadn't told him she was expecting yet but it was obvious. She had reached out, their fingers interlocking as Rex pounded on the door outside. 

But this isn't Ani. She would never take this cold-hearted killer's hand. "No. I won't."

He growls, making her take a step back. "I did all of this for you!" He shouts. "I did this for us. So you would survive. Why can't you see that?"

She narrows her eyes, something bubbling inside of her. Anger? Betrayal? Grief? She doesn't think she can choose just one emotion to describe how she's feeling. It's a mixture of too many that she's never felt before, but it gives her a boost of energy. "For us?" She asks. She steps forward, pointing at her chest. "You turned to the dark side, for us? You betrayed everyone who ever cared for you, for us?"

She presses her fingernails into the palms of her hands, trying to keep her voice from fluctuating. "No, Anakin. You did this for yourself!" 

There's a long pause. She's afraid that she's gone too far. But everything she said was true. Joining the dark side was not for her. He was mad at the Council for not appreciating him. He was mad at Obi-Wan for not trusting him. He was mad that he wasn't the Jedi he wanted to be.

He let his emotions get the better of him and now he has to live with the consequences. 

Or he can admit his faults and come back with her. He can try to fix what he caused by joining her and helping her defeat Palpatine. 

"Where's our baby?" He asks.

"What?" She asks, touching her stomach. She looks down, clearly no longer pregnant. Of course, he's not stupid. He's never been stupid. And apparently he's not blind either. There are eyes somewhere on the machine in front of her. 

"Where is our child, Padmé? It's obvious that you've had it." He snaps, sending a shiver down her spine.

She wants to tell him. He is the father after all and he deserves to know. But their safety comes first. It will always come first, no matter what is morally right. "It died." She confesses, rubbing her stomach. She whips her head up to look where his eyes would be. "You killed it on Mustafar!" She shouts.

"No. It was alive! I felt it!" He fires back.

"When I gave birth, it was stillborn!" She says, clutching at her chest. "You did this!" She cries, tears falling from her face. "You killed our baby, Ani!"

"No." He denies, shaking his head. Somehow, she can sense that his heart is breaking. She can feel the pain in his voice as the realization dawns on him. He killed one of the things he was apparently trying to save.

"You did this. Anakin Skywalker killed his own child." She spits. If someone were to touch her right now, she would shatter into a million pieces. Though he has caused her so much pain and suffering these past days, all of this feels so wrong. She shouldn't have to lie to her husband about their baby dying.

She turns off the hologram, leaving them all in deadly silence. No one says a word as she wipes the tears off her cheeks. She tries to gather her emotions, but the longer she stands there, the harder it is to stay calm. She holds her head up high and exits the room, not wanting to look at any of them. 

Once she's in the hallway, she lets it all out. Sobs escape her as she rushes to the nursey. Her heart pounds in her chest, reminding that she is still alive. Everyone she meets in the hallway presses their backs to the wall, giving her space to run past. All she can feel is their pity and disgust. How could she fall in love with the man who turned against them all?

She opens the door, seeing Obi-Wan holding the twins in his arms. She slams the door shut behind her as she takes a few deep breaths. He stands up, his eyes studying her. Before he can speak, she holds up her hand. She doesn't want to talk about it. She quickly takes Leia from his arms and holds her close.

Anakin had wanted a little girl so bad.

He loved the name Leia and was practically begging her to consider it for their child.

Padmé had wanted a little boy. Knowing it was a possibility, Anakin searched for names in his spare time. He had chosen Luke and Padmé had fallen in love with it.

They had been blessed with twins though, a boy and a girl. They both got what they wanted.

They were supposed to go to Naboo to raise their baby. They were supposed to have their happy family hidden away in the countryside. But, instead, she's hiding with their two babies from their father. They have no idea what is to come for them. 

This is nothing like they planned.

"Obi-Wan." She says, her hoarse voice startling herself. "I can't do this alone. I need someone to help me with the twins." She closes her eyes and presses her forehead to Leia's. Was the man she saw today really the one who so desperately wanted this little girl?

He's silent for a long time. At first, she's afraid that he didn't hear. Just like her, he's been having a rough few days. He's known Anakin longer than her. This betrayal is just as personal for him as it is for her.

"I'm not sure you want my help." He slowly says, bringing her attention to him. He's gently bouncing Luke, who's actually quiet for once. "I'm the one who failed to raise the last Skywalker. Do we really want a repeat?"

She reaches out, her hand gripping his shoulder. Their eyes meet and she sees her sadness mirrored in his. "You didn't fail, Anakin. He failed you." She says. "And we need to make sure that my children don't follow in his footsteps. Will you please help me?"

He freezes, his eyes darting between Luke, Leia, and Padmé. She's afraid that he'll turn her down. These children aren't his. He has no obligation to stay and raise them. Honestly, she wouldn't blame him if he chooses to walk away. What does he have to gain by tagging along with her? If anything, he just puts a bigger target on his back. Everyone believes that he's dead. 

"Okay." He nods, his blue eyes locking with her brown ones. "I'll help you."

**~~~~~~~~~~**


	2. Chapter 1

**_ PART ONE: ESOTERIC _ **

Leia and Luke walk side by side down the white hallways. They're rarely seen apart. When there's one Skywalker, the other isn't far behind. It's been that way for as long as anyone can remember. Even the newbies can quickly point out the twins though they are almost polar opposites. Luke is much more approachable compared to the scowling Leia. Most people assume that they fight constantly, but that couldn't be more untrue.

Their clashing personalities make them an almost unstoppable force. Just when you find a weakness in one, you quickly discover that the other has that strength. They are a power team that seems only possible in legends.

Though the galaxy is in the middle of a war, their mother insists that they keep their studies up. Most kids their age have given up studying to do their part in the battle against the Empire so teachers are a rare find. Bail Organa gladly offered to teach them about politics and government issues though so that solved their problem. The subject comes easy to the twins, but that doesn't make it exactly fun to learn. The only enjoyment they have by attending is getting to spend time with Bail.

"There are my favorite students." Bail greets as they enter his office.

"Only students." Luke corrects with a soft smile. He shakes out his blond hair, keeping the waves from falling into his eyes. His mother has been hounding him to get a haircut, but he refuses. Part of it is because it's the one way he can rebel against her. The other part is because he likes it long.

Bail gives a soft laugh as they sit in their desks. Every morning, he has to drag them in from one of the other meeting rooms. There are a few feet between the twins so that they can't glance over each other's shoulders to peek. Not like these two would ever cheat. They're plenty competitive with each other, so that keeps their eyes on their own papers. They want to outdo each other in everything.

"I hope you two studied." He says as he rises from his desk.

"We studied. Didn't get a lot of sleep though." Leia says, leaning back in her chair. She takes a pin out and then quickly adjusts her hair. She slips it back in, her bun now tighter to her head. Her mother has been spending the past few years teaching her all of the different ways to style her hair. Leia enjoys learning from her, but she always finds herself sporting the double buns that many Alderaanians wear.

"You know the drill. Keep your eyes on your own paper then turn it in for me when you're done." He says, handing each of them their test. "And no secret twin language to talk about me." He teases.

"We haven't used that in years." Luke waves away as he grabs his pen.

"Right. Like you weren't just using it two weeks ago." Bail chuckles as he returns to his desk. The room is then silent besides the sound of their pens writing on the papers.

Bail has always had a soft spot in his heart for these two. He and his wife had always wanted to adopt, but it never seemed to work out. Once the twins were old enough to be alone for a few days, Padmé would send them to stay with him on Alderaan. Soon, they started spending summers out there, happy to be able to be kids. Living on a rebel base as children can become frustrating, so he takes them anytime they need a break.

He loves both of them greatly, but he spends most of his time with Leia. She comes with him on diplomatic missions while Luke prefers to stay and work on the ships. Bail and Leia share many memories together because of this. He teaches her about the new planets they visit and she helps remind him that not everything has to be so serious.

Leia loudly flips over her page, making sure that Luke knows that she's ahead of him. He sends her a quick glare as he flips his as well. He is going to beat her today.

Bail watches in amusement as their hands soar over their papers. He's not even sure they are writing words anymore. Their pens glide from one side of the paper to the other. He is curious to see which twin will win today.

Abruptly, both of them bolt upright and rush towards his desk. They slam down their papers. "Beat you!" They shout at the same time, eyeing each other.

Bail takes the papers, looking them over. "Just as I suspected, smudged writing from Luke and missing punctuation from Leia." He says.

Luke looks at his hand, seeing the blue ink stains. He grumbles, licking his other hand and rubbing at the mark in an attempt to clean it. It doesn't do much to help.

"Sorry." Leia shrugs to Bail.

He chuckles, setting down the papers. "It's alright, this isn't English class." He says. He rises from his desk, his hands folding behind his back. "I'll have these back to you by this evening. You're free for the rest of the day."

The twins share a smile and quickly thank Bail. Most days, they spend an hour or so learning about what's currently happening with the Empire and the political efforts being made to end it. They're thankful that today Bail is letting them be free to be kids. They rush out of the room, basically tripping over each other. They want to be the first ones to get in line to take some practice flights.

"Can't believe you forgot to punctuate, Leia. Rookie mistake." Luke says, giving her a smirk as they speed walk down the hallways. For the past 15 years of their lives, they've been yelled at constantly by their mother that they're not allowed to run. Of course, that just meant that they'd have to bend the rules a bit. They can't run, but they can speed walk.

"Didn't forget." Leia grins, her brown eyes twinkling with energy. "You can really save time by not adding a period or comma every three seconds."

Luke hums, nodding his head. "Smart."

"Thanks." She says. They reach the landing platform, watching the ships fly in and out. Just recently, their mother let them learn how to pilot. They've been begging her for years and she's finally caved.

They walk up to one of the crew members keeping records of which ships are coming in. They are unable to keep their smiles to themselves. "We'd like to be next on the list," Leia says.

"Of course. Anything for you two. What would you like?" He asks as he scrolls through his datapad.

"X-Wing." Luke quickly answers. Leia elbows his side, making him groan in pain.

"The next fighter should be coming in in the next fifteen minutes. Once we refuel it for you, you can take it out."

"Thanks!" Leia grins. She grabs Luke's arm and drags him away. They go to their cubbies and quickly change into their uniforms. They pull on the bright orange jumpsuits, tugging at the sleeves so they fit properly. They snatch their helmets and go sit patiently on a bench in the landing platform, watching the ships and the pilots.

Luke lets out a sigh, resting his arms on his helmet. Leia looks over, knowing something's bugging him. Not wanting to deal with a whiny Luke all day, she decides to try and get it out of him now. "What's wrong?"

He furrows his eyebrows, looking at her. "Nothing."

She rolls her eyes. "You're lying."

"Am not." He argues.

"Yes, you are. I've been with you since the womb. I know when something's bothering you. So spill."

He groans, running his hands through his hair. He doesn't want to talk about it. It's something that he shouldn't complain about, but it bugs him. Today, it's only been amplified. "Do I have to?" He asks, pleading by batting his blue eyes at her.

"That only works on Mom, dumbass." She scoffs. "And yes. You have to." She says, punching his arm.

"Fine." He huffs as he rolls his eyes. He lowers his voice, looking out at the pilots working on their ships. "Does it bother you that we get everything?"

Leia pauses. This wasn't what she was expecting him to talk about. She agrees, it is annoying, but why did this suddenly darken his mood? She wants to know why he brought this up now. "What do you mean?" She asks.

"Come on, Leia." He says, his attention on her again. "We get everything we ask for. We show up here and get on the list to fly immediately. Wedge says that sometimes he has to wait 3 hours before he can get his time in."

Leia frowns. Luke's right. She has heard about new pilots having to wait for hours to get to practice while she and Luke have never run into that problem. And it's not just with flying times. It's for everything. They are always the first ones to get meals. Beds are found for them immediately whenever they have to move bases. Everything is catered to them and making sure that they have everything they could ever need. "Yeah." She sighs to Luke. "I have noticed."

He scrunches his nose. "I hate it."

She furrows her eyebrows. "Me too."

"It's not fair to everyone else." He continues, his tone urgent and quickening with every word. "I shouldn't have everyone falling at my feet. It's not my fault that Mom is the leader of the rebellion. I should be treated just like everyone else here. I'm no more important than Wedge or anyone else. Why should I get some special treatment just for being related to the rebel leader?"

She nods her head, agreeing with every word. "And when we want the special treatment, it's not like we get it." She scoffs. She leans in close to Luke, her voice just above a whisper. "Anytime there's a secret here, we're the last ones to know. It's like they're trying to shield us from something or someone. We're old enough to know now. We're not children anymore."

"There are people who have joined the rebellion that are younger than us." He says, anger now coursing through his veins. "Yet they treat us like we can't even tie our own shoes without someone watching over us."

Before Leia can add, their comlinks beep on their wrists. They swiftly look down, the flashing red light making them groan. She looks at Luke, rolling her eyes. "Mom." She grumbles.

"I'll go tell them to give our spots away." He replies as he rises from his seat. Leia takes their helmets and goes to put them away while he explains why they aren't able to fly at the moment.

The rebel leader wants to see them.

They met up as they're leaving the landing platform. They're practically dragging their arms on the floor. So much for having a free day. Their mother probably has some new chore for them to do. "What do you think she's going to talk about this time?"

Luke shrugs his shoulder. "I don't know. I'm hoping that it'll be some diplomatic mission."

"Why? So I go away for a few days?" Leia chuckles, brightening. It's a lot easy to deal with their mother if they aren't in a sour mood.

"Not for you to go away. So I can go away. I need to get off of this base for a few days." Luke answers, making her laugh. He's right. It would be nice to leave the base for a few days. Things around here have been unusually vibrant lately.

They pause outside of her quarters, neither one wanting to enter first. They love their mother and they know she loves them, but recently she's been a pain to deal with. Most of their conversations have only been about the rebellion and everything they should do to help out. Just for a few minutes, they would like to be with their mother, not the rebel leader.

Leia knocks, silently hoping that she isn't there. But that's dashed quickly when they hear her voice telling them to enter.

Luke pushes the door open, walking in first. Padmé strides over to them, placing a kiss on top of each of their heads. "How are my babies?" She asks, bringing smiles to their faces. They thought that this would be some rebel meeting.

"Good," Luke answers as he sits on the edge of her bed. He falls onto his back and stretches his arms out. "Bail said that we had the day off so we were going to go flying."

Padmé pauses, looking at them. She hadn't thought of that. She glances at her watch, realizing that it wouldn't work. It's too late to send them flying now. She brushes the idea out of her head and smiles at him. "That sounds like fun."

"Yeah, we were just about to get a ship when you called," Leia says. Padmé nods, now noticing that they're in the orange jumpsuits. They must be disappointed that she took them away.

"Sorry. I just wanted to see you two before my meeting this afternoon." Padmé says. A knock comes from her door and a few crew members enter carrying three trays of food. "I was hoping you two would join me for lunch."

"Sure. I'm starving." Luke says, hopping up from the bed. He plops onto the floor then takes a tray from one of the crew members. Leia and Padmé follow suit, forming a circle on the floor.

Once the crew leaves, Padmé decides to start the conversation. "I'm sorry that I've been so busy lately. I just need to be prepared for this next meeting. I promise that I haven't forgotten about you."

Luke and Leia share an embarrassed glance. They were being selfish. Their mother has a job to do and they've been complaining about not getting enough attention. They can't be the only thing on their mother's mind anymore. They are old enough to not need her constantly fretting about them. And besides, isn't that what they've been asking for anyway? To not have her breathing down their necks?

Wanting to change the topic, Luke speaks up. "Is there a chance that I could go on a diplomatic mission?"

"I thought you hated those," Padmé says before bringing her fork to her mouth. Luke hasn't gone on a mission in a little over a year. After what happened on Tatooine, he begged her to never send him again. Since then, he has always stayed behind to work on the droids and damaged ships.

"I do. Well, did. I don't know." He stumbles. He scratches the back of his head, a blush growing on his cheeks. "I just want to get off this base for a while. I feel cooped up."

Padmé nods. "I could ask Bail to take you two to Alderaan. It would be a change of scenery."

"I don't want to go to Alderaan." Luke immediately groans. "I want to go somewhere new. Please?"

Padmé takes a deep breath. She isn't exactly sure what to do. She will have to go through a lot of people to find somewhere to send Luke. And after this next meeting, she's not sure where he could safely go. "I'll bring it up with Obi-Wan. I'm sure he'll be more than willing to accompany you."

"Thanks." Luke smiles, digging into his food.

"That doesn't mean it'll happen though, so don't complain to me if you can't go." She replies, glaring at him.

"Got it." He says as he raises his hands in surrender.

Padmé smiles at him then turns her attention over to Leia. "You're being surprisingly quiet. Do you have something you want to ask me too?"

She shrugs her shoulders. "Not really. Unlike Luke, I don't have to beg to go on missions. I have one next week."

"Where are you going next week?" Padmé asks curiously. Bail hadn't mentioned that he was taking Leia on another mission. Usually, he tells her first and then asks if he can bring Leia along. Though Padmé would agree no matter what, it's nice to have a heads up.

"Bail is having me go to Lothal. It's just a supply mission." Leia waves away. Padmé awes, now remembering that Bail had asked her. This mission isn't going to take more than a day. She has nothing to worry about.

"Why can't I go to Lothal?" Luke asks with a soft scoff.

"Because you don't know how to work supply missions." Leia fires back.

"I could learn."

Padmé decides to cut in before it gets out of hand. She hates it when the twins fight. Things have never gotten farther than bickering, but she likes to put an end to it quickly. "Luke, you can't go to Lothal. Bail is not going to be with Leia this time. She's been there before and she has already been briefed on everything she has to do."

Luke slightly pouts but goes back to his food. Padmé begins to feel guilty. Luke is the one who wants to leave so bad. She wants to send him but knows that there is no time to train him on what to do. "I promise that if the diplomatic mission doesn't work out that I'll find somewhere for you and Obi-Wan to go."

A soft smile grows on his face. "Okay."

A knock comes from the door and the handmaidens enter the room. Padmé rises from the floor, smiling at them. "I'm guessing that it's time for me to get ready."

Leia and Luke look at the handmaidens then glance back at each other. It's rare for the handmaidens to be brought in. The only time they prepare their mother for meetings is when it's with the Empire.

"Thank you two for joining me for lunch," Padmé says as the twins rise from the floor. She grabs Leia, kissing the top of her head. "Love you, Leia."

"Love you too," Leia replies.

Padmé grabs Luke, kissing the top of his head as well. "Love you, Luke."

"I love you too, Mom." He says.

They don't need to be told that they are expected to leave. They silently exit the room, their mother following them out. She shuts the door behind them, leaving them alone in the white hallway.

Leia sends Luke a smirk, an idea forming in her head. He arches his eyebrow, slightly worried. What is Leia up to?

~~~~~~~~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank you guys so much for all of the support that I've received already! When I first published this I never would have thought that this would blow up so fast. Thanks for giving me the motivation to want to work hard on this book! Also, did you guys see the new episode of the Clone Wars?!?! AAHHH!!


	3. Chapter 2

Leia and Luke head back to the landing platform. Neither one has spoken since lunch. Luke knows that Leia is hiding something up her sleeve, but recognizes that this isn't the place to ask her. There are too many ears listening and too many eyes watching. They need to be somewhere private. They can't risk anyone finding out their plan.

They slowly change back into their clothes, waiting until everyone has left the room. Once they think that they're alone, they huddle close to each other. "Mom never has her handmaidens dress her unless it's important." Luke immediately says.

"I know. So we are going to find out what this meeting is about." Leia says, narrowing her eyes. Luke is almost startled by the determination in her brown eyes. There have been very few times he's seen Leia like this.

He already knows that she wants to listen in and doesn't think that it's a good idea. Their sneaking around has never lead to anything good. Someone will find out and they always tattle on them to their mother. She's never been harsh to them, but Luke hates getting punished. Leia, well, she takes it so well that she basically turns on her heels and finds a new way to get them in trouble. She's got some fire inside of her that Luke wishes he had. Even when they were young, he was the only one to cry when scolded. Though he doesn't cry anymore, he still feels that familiar pressure in his chest when their mother yells at them.

Leia notices the hesitation in Luke. His blue eyes widen as the realization of what they have to do sinks in. She knows how he feels about going behind their mother's back, but what other choice do they have? If they aren't going to be told what's going on then they'll have to find out for themselves.

She also knows that she needs Luke's help. Her plan can't work without her sidekick. "Aren't you sick of being treated like a child?" She asks as her eyes dart around the room. "You said it yourself, they're keeping secrets from us. Isn't it time that we find out what they are?"

He doesn't want to deal with the outcome, but he also hates secrets being kept from him. He wants to know just as much as Leia about who their mother is meeting. He has also learned over the years that it's best to go along with Leia when she's this way.

She is going to listen in with or without him. There's no stopping her when she's this way.

"Alright. I'm in." He agrees. Before she can explain her plan, Luke grabs her shoulder, his grip tight. "Someone's coming." He harshly whispers.

They pull away and act like they're tying their shoelaces. It's almost frightening how easily they can act casual. Years of practice are finally coming to good use.

Someone stops in front of them and clears their throat. Luke and Leia look up, gently smiling. "Hello there." Luke greets.

"Princess Leia and Prince Luke, Ben Kenobi is requesting your presence immediately." He declares. Luke and Leia eye each other, clearly having the same thought. This guy is new to the base. It's uncommon for them to be called by their proper titles.

"Where is he?" Leia sighs as she rises to her feet. She stretches out her back, a few pops echoing in the room. She needs to stay casual. This guy just seems like a goody-two-shoes. He would snitch on them the first chance he got.

"He is in the training room."

"Alright. Thanks. We'll head over there." Luke says, dismissing the stranger. Once he leaves, Luke takes a deep breath. He lowers his voice, following Leia out of the room. "What is your plan now, genius?"

"This is just a minor flaw." Leia waves away with a smirk. The two of them walk down the now empty hallways. Just a few minutes ago, they were crowded with rebels rushing to the mess hall. It now feels like they're the only ones here. It's a sudden change compared to how it has been the past few weeks.

"I don't like this, Leia," Luke says. He can sense it in the air, there's something wrong. None of this is normal. The handmaidens, the silent hallways, and Obi-Wan suddenly requesting their presence. It makes the hair stand up on the back of his neck.

Though she agrees, Leia doesn't say so. He's right. It is eerily quiet. They can hear their footsteps bouncing off of the walls. It feels almost like it's one in the morning compared to one in the afternoon.

Leia pulls Luke aside, practically shoving him into a closet. At this point in his life, Luke is used to it. He hardly makes a noise as the two of them hide inside. "I don't think we should do this. Everyone seems uneasy. This must be important." He declares.

"That is exactly why we have to, Luke," Leia argues. "If it's this important, we'll probably never hear about this meeting. We have to do this to prove to them that we're not some fragile children. We are not pretty glass figurines Mom insists on showcasing. We won't shatter at a soft push. No, we have been hardened because of this war. We can handle what is going on out there."

Luke takes a deep breath, running his hands through his hair. Though he doesn't think this is the way to do it, he follows Leia's lead. He doesn't have any better ideas. "Fine. What's your plan?"

"I know that this meeting is going to take place in Mom's quarters. That's why the handmaidens met her there." Leia begins. "So all I have to do is go and pry open her door just a bit and listen in. Once I get all of the information I need, I'll bolt out of there and meet you in your room."

Luke shakes his head. "I don't think you should go by yourself," he argues. "We should stay together in case they discover our plan. They won't be as harsh on you if I'm with you."

"No. You have to go and meet Uncle Obi-Wan." Leia frowns as she pokes his chest.

"No! I am not going to see Obi-Wan!" Luke shouts. "You know that I'm a terrible liar. He'll figure out instantly that something is up. You go with Obi-Wan and I'll listen in on the meeting."

"Please, you are not a terrible liar. You've gotten away with so much shit over the past few years." Leia argues, rolling her eyes.

Luke huffs, crossing his arms over his chest. She's right. He could probably get away with murder if he wanted to. All he would have to do is plaster on a smile and run with the first lie to come to his head. No one ever doubts him.

"Besides, you can't even get close to Mom's room now. They'll have so many guards up. They're more likely to let me through than you." Leia says.

But he doesn't want her to go alone. He thinks it's too dangerous. Sure, neither of them will get injured, but he doesn't like the idea of her taking all of the blame. They're a team and they both have equal parts in this.

"Come on, Luke," Leia pleads, her tone softer. "Obi-Wan likes you more anyway and you need to distract him."

He glares at her. "You swear to give me all of the details?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die." She quickly answers, swiping her finger over her chest.

Luke sighs and shakes his head. "Fine. I'll cover for us."

"Great. Now you go and meet Uncle Obi-Wan. I'll meet you in your room when the meeting is over." Leia rambles as she practically shoves him out of the closet. He curses under his breath as he walks towards the training room. Though he doesn't want to do this, he can't help but wonder what they might find.

Once he rounds the corner, Leia turns on her heels and heads to her mother's room. She knows that Luke has a point. This meeting must be crucial to the rebellion if everyone is gone. She hasn't seen a single soul since the locker room. She straightens her back and tilts her head up. This just means that she has to be extra careful.

A few droids hum past her as she marches to her destination. Surprisingly, there are no guards. She expected to at least be questioned once or twice before she got there. She would have bet money that there would have been two guards outside her mother's quarters. Instead, all she finds is a sealed up door in a strangely silent corridor.

She crouches down, resting her hands and knees on the floor. She didn't really think through how she was going to pry open this door. She assumed it could be easily open with a card or something, but now she thinks it'll be pointless to even try. If it's as important as she thinks, the door will be practically bolted shut.

She has to find a way to hear what's going on in there though. If she doesn't, Luke will make sure that she never forgets this mistake for the rest of her life. She definitely can't let him hold this over her head. She presses her ear to the door, hoping to at least hear mumbling. That could confirm for her that she's in the right place.

She pinches her eyes shut, trying to only use her sense of hearing. Sure enough, she can barely make out her mother's voice. So she is right. They are doing the meeting in her quarters.

What a strange place to meet with the Empire.

Leia crawls past the door to sit on the other side. Off in the distance, she can hear a droid beeping to itself. If it's an R2 unit, she can get it to open the door. As it comes closer, she wishes that she had Luke's ability to speak with droids. After spending years working on them, he's learned how to understand what they're saying. Why didn't she pay attention when he tried to teach her what R2-D2 was saying?

Rounding the corner is an orange R2 unit. Yes! "Hey." She whispers. It stops, looking at her. She motions for it to come to her and thankfully it does. It beeps at her but she doesn't understand what it's saying. She just hopes that it isn't important.

"Can you open this door for me?" She asks. The droid grunts back to her, clearly appalled. "It's okay. I'm Princess Leia. This is my mom's room."

The droid beeps cautiously. It's probably questioning why it should believe her. "Look, I just need it open far enough to hear what they're saying. I'm not trying to sneak in."

The droid pauses, but then does what she asks. Leia grins as it goes to open to the door. A small, barely noticeable gap appears. She holds back silent cheers as she hugs the droid. It beeps at her, twisting its body. She lets it go and it goes back to its business.

Leia hastily presses her ear to the door. She can hear everything perfectly clear. Everything is actually working out. Her heart starts to race as she recognizes who's on the other line. Why is her mother talking to him? Why is she risking everything by contacting him?

Then two words make all of the air escape from Leia's lungs. She clasps her hands over her mouth, trying not to make a sound. Her body begins to shake and she feels like she's going to throw up.

She can't hear anything they're saying anymore. A ringing fills her ears and she begins to feel lightheaded. She starts to think that she's going to pass out. Leia knows that she needs to run. She needs to get out of here before they find her sitting outside of her mother's room shaking like a leaf.

But she can't force herself to move even an inch. It feels like someone has taken weights and placed them on her lap. Her chest is heaving rapidly and she thinks her lunch is about to reappear within the next two seconds.

Then she hears gasping on the other side of the door. Something kicks in inside of her. She knows that this is her last chance to get away without being spotted. Something is yelling at her to stand up and run away. Her legs feel like jelly but she pushes through it. For some reason, she makes a dash to the bathroom. She's can't think clearly. Her head is spinning and she has tunnel vision, but she doesn't slow down.

Her feet slam against the concrete floors as tears surge in her eyes. She storms into the girls' bathroom and sweeps a stall door open. Falling to her knees, she holds her face just inches above the toilet water. She heaves up her lunch, unable to stop until nothing more comes up.

Beads of sweat sprinkle across her forehead and with a trembling arm she wipes them away. She grips the rim with both hands, trying to steady herself. How is she going to play this off? She bolted in here like a madwoman and has been throwing up for who knows how long.

She presses against the toilet, attempting to stand again. Her legs are still quivering, but it's not as bad as before. She covers her nose and gags, the smell now affecting her. She's afraid that she'll start vomiting again. Quickly, she flushes it away, wobbling backward away from it until she hits the sink.

She jumps, instantly flipping around. In the mirror, she sees her reflection. Her brown eyes are bloodshot from holding back tears. Her face is as white as the hallway she was hiding in. Her nose is a cherry red, snot dripping from it.

She is a walking mess, but she doesn't blame herself. What she just found out would shake anyone to their core. It's something straight from one of her nightmares. Then she remembers Luke. She promised to give him all of the details from her investigation.

How is she supposed to tell him this?

Leia holds her arms tight to her chest, trying to bring herself some sort of comfort. No, this can't be true. She must have misheard what was being said. None of it makes any sense.

She takes some deep breaths, trying to steady her breathing. She needs to calm down before someone finds her like this in here. She pinches her eyes shut, trying to block out the world but her heart is pounding so hard that she can actually hear it.

She is so afraid.

She tries to stifle her tears, but it's useless. They escape her effortlessly. The salty tears make their way onto her lips, reminding her of what she's just learned. Though she can't stop the waterworks, she is somehow able to keep herself practically silent.

She doesn't want to believe what she's just learned, but somehow, she knows it's true. She can feel it deep in her gut like someone punched her with all of their might. Everything is starting to make sense now. The lies. The secrets. How did she miss the signs?

Then she hears a noise.

People. They're roaming the halls again. The meeting is over.

She rushes to the sink, splashing cold water onto her face. They can't know that she's been in here crying. She needs to act like nothing is wrong. She must be exactly like she was in the locker room. She has to put on a scowl and look pissed. She must be herself.

Though it's still noticeable that she was crying, she leaves the bathroom. She needs to go and meet Luke. Her eyes are still red and puffy, but the rest of her looks decent. She frowns, hoping to come across as unfriendly. If someone does ask her what's wrong, she needs to come up with an excuse. It's not every day that Princess Leia has visible tears. She can say she lost her favorite bracelet. Maybe Luke hurt her feelings.

The last one isn't a total lie.

She has gotten her feelings hurt, but it wasn't by Luke.

As she walks the halls, very few people give her a second glance. None of them say anything thankfully. This is the one time she's thankful that her mother is the leader of the rebellion. No one can say anything to her without fear of offending her mother.

She reaches Luke's room, seeing him lying in his bed. He jumps up immediately and rushes to her side. "So what did you—Oh, Leia. You smell awful." He comments, pulling away from her. He covers his nose, holding back gags.

He grabs a bottle of his cologne and quickly sprays her down. Once the smell is masked, he finally has time to look at her. She's pale and her eyes are puffy. Leia is not knowing for crying, so something is definitely wrong. "What happened?" He asks, his eyes searching her face.

"Hold me. Please." She begs, rushing into his arms. How is she going to break this to him? She can hardly handle thinking about it. How can she possibly say the words to him?

"Did Mom find out? Are you in trouble?" Luke asks. He heard the sobs in the hallway. Maybe they were her. He looks down, feeling her trembling in his arms. He should have been with her. She shouldn't have done this alone. He should have pushed harder to be the one to listen in.

"No. Luke, this is much worse than that." She says, pulling away from him. She almost wishes that she got caught. The punishment they would have received doesn't come close to the pain she feels right now. "The information I found. . ." She trails, her voice wavering. She can hardly come up with the words to say. They are five simple words that she can't seem to form.

Then a knock comes from the door. Both of them freeze, their eyes locking in fear. Has someone found out what they've done? Neither one says anything, afraid of what is to come. They pray that the stranger will go away.

Another knock comes. 

Leia shakes her head but Luke knows that he has to acknowledge that they're in here. "Come in." He says.

**~~~~~~~~~**


	4. Chapter 3

She closes her eyes as her handmaidens apply her makeup to her face. In a few moments, she has to meet with her adversary and she wants to look her best. She has to make sure that he knows what he left behind.

He should be forced to look into the eyes of the woman he broke.

"We're finished." One of the handmaidens says. Padmé opens her eyes, startled by the image in the mirror. Is that really her?

Her hair is pulled back to almost look like horns on the top of her head. At first, she's curious how they managed to pin her hair back so effortlessly, but then she sees her gray roots. How hasn't she noticed it before? She really is getting old, whether she wants to or not.

Instead of focusing on the dark eye shadow coating her eyelids, she spots the wrinkles growing around the corners of her eyes. She looks at her lips, a dagger sent through her heart. They've painted her lips in deep red, the pattern an identical match to how she used to wear it as the queen of Naboo.

They've taken dark blush and ran it down the side of her cheeks, emphasizing her high cheekbones. She thinks that it just draws attention to how much weight she's lost over the years. Her cheeks look sunken. She almost looks like a shell of her former self.

War really does change people.

She rises from her seat, her black dress streaming around her feet. There's a red lace around the collar that quickly grabs everyone's attention. Surprisingly, it's not itchy. She studies the rest of the outfit, admiring the dark colors. Then she sees it. Sewed over her heart is the bold symbol of the rebellion.

Her new look reminds her of the dragons in the stories she used to tell the twins before bed. She has dark eyes, a long face, and fascinating horns on her head. She smirks, running her fingers over the rebellion symbol. This look is different than she's used to. All of her life, she's been put into white, frilly dresses. She was supposed to have a look of innocence and pureness back then.

Now, she looks like a sinister widow who wants revenge for what's been done to her. She's no longer in hiding. She is no longer afraid of the machine that has killed her husband. She is going to stand up against him for the children he abandoned when he took Palpatine's side. She is going to avenge her husband's death with a hard blow to the Empire's number one superstar.

But this isn't just about the pain she's suffered. She is going to do whatever it takes to free her people from the grasp of the Empire. Millions around the galaxy are starving and dying. Life as they knew it has changed drastically over the past decade. And anyone who dares to speak out against their dementors has been tortured by the shadow that goes by the name Darth Vader.

She is tired of hearing their cries. She is sick of him thinking that he can get away with killing her people without paying the price. She is going to put an end to Darth Vader, Darth Sideous, and the Empire.

She is going to come out victorious.

No matter what it takes.

She turns away from the mirror, her determination bringing smiles to her handmaidens' lips. This is their leader. This is the woman who will make the Empire pay for the misery it brought to the galaxy. And they are going to stand beside her until the very end.

"I need to see Ben." She declares, her voice strong and clear.

Immediately, one of the handmaidens rushes out of the room. Padmé smiles at the remaining ones, thanking them for the work they've done. She is impressed with their new design. Just as she is about to question who came up with it, Ben enters the room.

She silently motions for her handmaidens to leave. Without another word, the two of them are left alone.

"I like your new look." He says a smile brought to his face. "It's nothing like you've ever worn before."

Padmé has been studying the man in front of her since he entered the room. This war has changed him as well. His hair is now gray with soft tints of red. His blue eyes have sunken just a bit. But his compassion and belief in her have not faltered once since she took up this position. He has stood by her side since day one. "Thank you, Obi-Wan." She softly smiles.

"I'm assuming you have to take a call." He says, his hand resting on his chin. He knows that this is unusual for Padmé. Back when the Republic still ruled, elaborate outfits were very common for her. But after that day on Mustafar, she threw every dazzling outfit she owned into the trash. She swore to never wear outfits like that again unless she felt it necessary.

"I want you to keep the twins away from my quarters." She says as she walks over to her vanity. She grabs a black bracelet and clasps it onto her wrist, slightly pinching herself in the process. "I'm going to be talking with one of the Empire's leaders."

Obi-Wan is quiet. He knows who she's referring to. Slowly, he says, "It's been a few years since you've last talked."

"You understand why I'm requesting this then." She says, turning around to face him again.

"Of course." He says. He gently reaches out, holding her hand. He can sense her unease, but it is masked by confidence. They share a smile, slightly letting their guard down. "I wish you the best."

"You too. You have the hardest job, after all." She says with a chuckle, referring to the twins. They are rebellious and sneaky. Keeping an eye on them can be challenging. You can never guess what they might be up to.

But he doesn't join her in laughter. Instead, a sad smile rests on his aging face. Her stomach drops and she wants to wrap her arms around him. She can see the pain in the tears welling in his blue eyes. "No. The twins I can handle. I couldn't handle seeing him again."

She holds her breath, her hand instinctively going to the lace around her neck. She is going to see him again. She straightens up, now holding her hands in front of her. She must remain emotionless. All of it is in the past. The man she will be meeting today is not her husband. "You must excuse me, Obi-Wan. My meeting is to take place in a few minutes. I must prepare."

He bows. "Of course, Padmé." He says. He walks to the door then pauses. "Good luck."

She gives him a reassuring smile before he leaves. Once he's gone, she lets out a sigh. She thought that talking to Obi-Wan would help her to gain some more support, but instead, she feels some sort of dread. Her hand goes to the lace again, running up and down it.

What does Obi-Wan know anyway?

The last time he saw Anakin, it was their battle on Mustafar. He doesn't know that he's more machine than man now. He doesn't know all of the trauma Anakin has caused throughout the galaxy. It's not because he refuses to know or is living under a rock. Padmé doesn't like seeing him grow in sorrow. She can't shield herself from the truth of what he's doing, but she can shield Obi-Wan from knowing the gory details.

She won't let him know more about the padawan that he believes he failed.

A knock comes from her door. It's time.

She calls for them to enter, her voice slightly shaking. A few rebel leaders enter the room, bringing along a hologram projector. They won't let her use the one in her room in fear that he'll be able to track it. They plan to destroy this projector the instant the meeting is over. They don't like the idea that he could have a direct line right to her.

Crazy to think that they had a secret one all those years ago on Coruscant.

"Padmé, you look stunning." Mon Mothma breathes, her eyes falling onto the dark goddess standing in front of her. It's hard to see the woman Padmé used to be. Years ago, she used to be mocked behind her back for looking too preppy and energetic.

No one will be laughing when they see the angry martyr who has taken her place.

A beeping catches their attention. He's just one button away.

"Are you ready, Padmé?" Bail asks, looking at her. He is shocked himself but doesn't say anything. He has personally known Padmé for almost her whole life. He knows how much Anakin meant to her and what turmoil he has caused her and her family. He knows that this won't be easy for Padmé, but she is determined to talk to himself herself.

She sends Bail a smirk. "Yes. I'm ready."

The creature in a mask forms in front of her. But this time, she isn't afraid. This is not her husband and she isn't going to be searching for him anymore. This is an emotionless maniac who won't let anyone get in his way, including children.

She can't forget that detail about him.

"Darth Vader." She says, her own voice sending chills down her arms. She has never said anyone's name with such hatred. She has shocked herself at how heartless she sounds.

"I've been waiting to see who the rebellion had voted in for their fearless leader. How long did it take for all of you to come to an agreement? I sure hope that it didn't take you fifteen years." He replies, ignoring her attempt at hurting him.

She glares, knowing what he's referring to. Back on Naboo, he mentioned that people should be made to agree on things. He talked about how it takes too long for people to decide on important issues and how someone should make all of the discussions.

He just opened their meeting with a jab at the democracy she's been trying to rebuild while leading a rebellion.

Before she can fire back an insult, he cuts her off. "I'm glad that they've chosen you. You will make a great rival. You hold a power over people that you don't fully appreciate."

She pauses, unsure of how to take that comment. Is he complimenting her? Insulting her again?

But instead of tackling that, she gets to what's at hand. The longer she stays on the line with him, the greater the chance that he can track them down and locate their base. She doesn't want to risk the lives of everyone here. "I want to come up with a compromise."

"A compromise?" He repeats. His heavy breathing replaces the would be silence. "The Empire does not make compromises."

"You won't even hear me out?" She asks, afraid that all of this will be for nothing. She has to attempt to get somewhere with him. They don't have all of the people they need to begin a real rebellion. Maybe if they can get on some middle ground there won't be a need for a full-out right.

"Fine. What would you like to propose?" He asks. Just outside her door, she can hear a droid beeping. She thought she told her men to send everyone to their rooms. She figured they would understand that meant droids too.

"The trade routes." She begins, eager to send him their demands. "You're blocking routes that planets need in order to get supplies."

"Those planets got their trade routes revoked because they disobeyed our rules. They tried to join your rebellion and they must be punished." He argues, his leather glove pointing at her through the screen. Just the sight of it tugs at her heartstrings. He wore the same gloves to hide his robotic hand so that he wouldn't hurt her when he touched her face.

She blinks her eyes, bringing herself back to the present. "Those people are starving."

"Then they shouldn't have revolted. And those that survive will understand the price of going against the Empire." He says. She can almost see the smile under his mask. What a sick, twisted man. Starving people just for speaking out against an unfair government? Kind of hypocritical to her. He would have been greatly punished for what he said about the Republic back then if his new rule applied.

She narrows her eyes, familiar anger bubbling inside of her. "You're killing your own people to prove a point?" She scoffs.

"A point that other planets will learn if they don't want the same thing to happen to them."

She locks her jaw and flares her nostrils. She forgets that she's talking to a hologram of Darth Vader, not a fellow politician. This isn't one someone who she can have complicated arguements with. Her response comes spitting out before she has a chance to think it through and weigh the consequences. "Anakin Skywalker would never starve people just to prove his dominance. You are a coward hiding behind a mask. You use fear in order to make people obey you. You're some sick monster that refuses to have his true identity shown."

His breathing stops for a second. Suddenly, she regrets the words that came out of her mouth. She wants to take it all back. "If you want to see a monster so bad, I guess I'll have to show you one." He growls. She gasps, her windpipes collapsing. She claws at her throat, fear pumping through her veins. Her heart beats erratically. Her vision starts to darken and she is transported somewhere else. She's no longer in her quarters, but somewhere a long time ago.

She can feel the heat from the lava surrounding them. In his eyes, she can see the anger and hatred he's been harboring for years. She is trembling, watching Obi-Wan exit the ship. Before she can answer him, her throat pinches shut. She can't get any of that hot air her lungs demand. She is scared and confused. Why is he hurting her?

She can hear Obi-Wan yelling at Anakin to let her go but his grip only tightens. She holds onto her throat, trying to peel his invisible hands off of her to no avail. Her eyes begin to roll to the back of her head as Obi-Wan shouts again.

But instead of drifting into darkness like the last time, air rushes back into her lungs. She grabs onto the table, coughing. At first, she doesn't think that she'll be able to properly breathe again. Her hand wrings around her neck, searching for a mark. She had a purple bruise around her neck for a week the last time.

"There's the monster you so desperately want to see." He spits as she catches her breath. She takes a few seconds to process what just happened. How was that possible?

She looks up, her eyes boring into the dark glass over his. "Funny. Anakin did the same thing to me years ago. I can hardly tell the two of you apart." She pants.

"It's nice to see that you haven't lost your sass." He says, bringing a mocking smile to her lips. "As much as I've enjoyed our chat, we're finished here. Listen to your newscast for the next few days. Know that you're the one who brought upon the next wave."

Before she can fire something back, he disappears. The room is still. You could hear a pin drop if Padmé wasn't breathing so hard. She lowers her head, still trying to catch her breath. Obi-Wan was right. His job is so much easier than hers.

"Padmé, are you alright?" Bail asks, cautiously coming to her side. He places a hand on her back and grabs her arm to help her to stand upright. They didn't get very far into the compromise, but he wasn't expecting them too. Darth Vader isn't the easiest person to chat with about controversial topics.

Padmé's thoughts swirl in her head as she feels tears pricking in her brown eyes. He choked her through a hologram. How is that even possible? How much power does he hold now?

"I wish to be alone." She says, clutching her chest. She holds onto the rebellion symbol sewed over her fracturing heart. "Now."

Everyone quickly moves from the room, taking the holoprojector with them. Once she knows that they're gone, she collapses onto her bed. Her body shivers, suddenly cold. She curls herself into a little ball, her knees to her chest. She begins to weep, hiding her face into her pillow. Her wails echo down the hallway, but no one dares to enter.

She thought that seeing him would reassure her that he was truly gone. She hoped that her outfit would bring some sense of confidence in their meeting and show him that she had changed. Instead, she lost her temper. She wants to blame it on stress and him being unreasonable, but she knows that it's her years of pent up rage and sadness.

People are going to suffer because of her. If she hadn't acted out today they wouldn't be in this mess. She wouldn't be responsible for the next terrible massacre. She didn't even get started on her prepared list. She got through one item before insulting him.

Why did they vote her in as their leader? It's clear that she can not handle the role.

She pulls her pillow tight to her body, seeking some comfort. When she went into this meeting, she was no longer afraid of him. She felt like a new woman. But now, she's terrified. When she stepped out of line, he didn't fire insults back at her. No, he got mad with power and choked her without warning.

He choked her through a hologram.

Yes, it's scary to know that her life was being held in his hands. He could have killed her right there and no one could have stopped him. But that's not what she's so afraid of. No, she's lived with the thought of him killing her for years. She's accepted the fact that he's searching far and wide so that he can kill her in the most painful way possible.

What's making her heart race and her hands shake is the fact that his actions have only reinforced the idea that it really is him under that mask.

Anakin is still alive and he still wants to make her suffer.

He is not finished with his mission to make her hurt.

And he is going to do it by destroying her people and slowly shattering the heart she's spent years trying to patch together again.

~~~~~~~~~


	5. Chapter 4

Luke mutters to himself, marching to meet Obi-Wan. He doesn't like that Leia is doing this on her own. It's not that he doesn't trust her. He knows that she can complete this successfully. It's that he doesn't trust everyone else. It seems like everyone on this base loves to make sure that they get in trouble.

He's sure it's because they get special privileges, but it's not like he asked for them. He doesn't go around bragging about his mother. In fact, he hardly brings her up. Anytime he meets someone new, he doesn't mention her until asked. But usually, they find out before he gets to tell them. Most of the other rebels on the base have already spilled his secret to the newbies.

At least Wedge doesn't treat him like he's royalty. Things are so easy with Wedge. They can talk for hours about flying techniques and what they would do if they could go and fight the Empire personally. Wedge is basically his only friend here besides Leia.

Sure, Luke gets along with everyone. Most prefer him over Leia. He tells her that it's because she's never around, but it's really because she always looks so unfriendly. He's subtly tried to get her to smile more often, but she doesn't listen. She believes that if they don't want to get to know her, that's their problem.

He enters the training room. "Hi, Uncle Ben." Luke greets, his eyes darting around the room. He isn't sure who else is here with them.

"It's alright. We're alone. The rest of the rebels have been ordered to go to their rooms." Obi-Wan says, walking over to Luke. Huh. That's why the halls are so quiet.

"Sent to their rooms?" Luke asks. Maybe he can get Obi-Wan to spill some details for him. This way, at least if Leia comes up emptyhanded, he can share some information. He doesn't want their snooping around to be completely worthless.

"Yes. Your mother has a meeting. She doesn't want anyone to disturb her. It's much easier to just keep everyone in their quarters rather than placing guards outside her room." He answers as he tucks his arms into his robes.

Luke has always wanted robes to rest his arms in. Obi-Wan makes it look so comfortable. It must feel like walking around with a blanket everyday. Once time, Luke had asked his mother if he could have an outfit like Obi-Wan's. She immediately refused, telling him that those outfits are for Jedi. From there on out, every time he or Leia trained with Obi-Wan, she would make comments about how they would make great politicians and warriors.

They aren't supposed to become Jedi.

Luke gives a short bow then grabs his lightsaber from his hip. Obi-Wan had given it to him when he was fairly young, telling him that it was his father's. He explained to him that his father would have wanted him to wield it. From then on, Luke has wanted to know more about him. He didn't even know that his father was a Jedi until he was given the lightsaber. When Luke and Leia were old enough, Obi-Wan allowed them to make their own lightsabers.

Luke prefers to use his father's though in hopes to keep a connection with the man he never met.

Over the years, he and Leia have been able to get stories out about their father from Obi-Wan. He would tell them that their mother must not find out otherwise he would get in big trouble. Of course, they never told her any of them, not even the good ones. Anything they could get about the man interested them.

Their father had been a slave but was freed and brought to the Temple. Obi-Wan raised him and taught him about the Force and how to wield a lightsaber. They went on exciting adventures to planets Luke and Leia had never heard of. Their father had even saved Obi-Wan nine times, though he always insisted it was ten. The business on Cato Neimoidia doesn't count.

He was the best star pilot in the galaxy, a cunning warrior, and Obi-Wan's best friend.

But Luke knows nothing more than that.

Obi-Wan bows then turns on his lightsaber, the blue light surrounding them. Luke looks over, seeing Obi-Wan watching him curiously. Luke realizes that he's acting weird right now. He's usually so excited to train with him but he would rather scrub the ships. He just has so much stuff on his mind.

He wants to know about his father.

He's sick of everyone keeping secrets from him.

And, most importantly, he's worried about Leia.

He whips his lightsaber, taking the first move. The blue lights crash and a crackling sound fills the silence. The two of them move, synchronized in the beginning. Obi-Wan easily blocks Luke's swings and Luke dodges Obi-Wan's. You would almost think that they're dancing. They move around the room as if they're following a path. Each step lands in a memorized position. Left foot forward when striking, back when defending. They sway in close to each other, quick strikes flashing then disappearing when they part.

Obi-Wan pounded the forms in Luke's head. It was a few years before Luke was allowed to begin to customize how he wanted to fight. At first, Luke thought Obi-Wan was trying to hold him back. He thought that he was denying him from becoming better than him. Each day, Obi-Wan made him practice the six basic forms of defense and nothing else. When Luke confronted Obi-Wan about this, he was told that it was to become his second nature.

He needed to be able to defend himself from whatever may come his way. He should know his defenses so well that he could protect himself in his sleep.

Because of this, the two of them can almost predict each other's next move. Their lightsabers dazzle as the buzz past their heads. It's mesmerizing to watch the two blades spin and twirl until they connect with a loud crackle and blinding white light.

But instead of the usual peace he feels when he's around Obi-Wan, Luke feels something tightening inside of him. He is sick of this pretend happy life. He deserves to know about his father and his death. He deserves to know what Obi-Wan and his mother are hiding. He winds up, smacking his lightsaber harshly onto Obi-Wan's.

"Control your emotions, Luke," Obi-Wan says, startling him. Can he read his thoughts? Can he feel his anger through the Force?

Luke knows he should listen to him, but he doesn't want to control them. They've given him some new power. He can feel it pumping through his veins as he takes another swipe at Obi-Wan. The old Jedi takes a step back, blocking the blow. "Luke, your anger is getting the better of you. Stop it, now!"

Luke takes a deep breath, blocking out Obi-Wan's shouts. He tightens his grip on his lightsaber, bringing it farther back. Why did Leia make him come here? Why couldn't he listen in on the secret meeting?

He swings but misses by a long shot. He snaps his head to look at Obi-Wan, whose eyebrows are furrowed over his blue eyes. "You're letting your emotions control you. You're becoming unbalanced and unfocused." He says.

This only adds fuel to Luke's fire. He would show Obi-Wan that he is wrong. Luke is focused, more focused than he has been in a long time. He takes three quick swings at him, but he misses again. It no longer looks like a dance. Luke is striking before his cue, taking every chance he has to attack. His spins are faster and he begins to take more random jabs. He wants to show Obi-Wan up. He grips his lightsaber tight, feeling like he could crush it in his hands. He yearns to hear the cracking of their lightsabers making contact.

"Luke, stop! Come back to me!" Obi-Wan exclaims as he smacks the lightsaber from Luke's hands. They watch the blue light fly across the room, buzzing as it spins away. Luke is brought back from the fury he was expressing and finally realizes the state of caution his partner is in. He is breathing heavily, the only noise audible above Obi-Wan's humming lightsaber.

Obi-Wan turns it off, his eyes staring into Luke's. "If there's one thing I taught you, it's that you never use your anger to fight. Anger is what formed Darth Vader and I will not have you following in his footsteps." He pants, his voice harsh and clearly angry.

Luke is silent, turning his head away. Obi-Wan spent weeks telling him how wrong it is to use his anger for power. Anger itself is not wrong. It's an emotion that everyone feels, including Jedi. But it should never be used in order to win battles. It should never be used the way he just did.

Obi-Wan's shoulders drop. He slowly walks to Luke, standing an arms distance away. "What is bothering you? Why are you so upset?" He asks, his voice now calmer and softer.

Luke brushes him off. "It's nothing."

Obi-Wan lets out a dry laugh, not believing him. "It's obvious that something has upset you, Luke. Never in my life have I seen you this angry. You reminded me of—"

"Darth Vader?" Luke spits, icily staring at him. "The man who killed off the Jedi? The man who killed my father?" He asks, his face turning a deep red. He locks his jaw, glaring at Obi-Wan. At his sides, he tightens his fists.

Obi-Wan pauses, his eyes running up and down Luke. "You're mad at Darth Vader, aren't you?"

Luke groans, tugging at his hair. "No, not specifically. I'm mad that I don't know more about what he did to my father. I'm mad that you are keeping secrets from me. I deserve to know, Obi-Wan. He is my father."

Obi-Wan tucks his hands into his sleeves again. He straightens up, his shoulders dropping back. "You're father is Anakin Skywalker. He was a pupil of mine who I loved dearly. Unfortunately, he was murdered by Darth Vader."

"Yeah, I know!" Luke snaps. "That's all I've ever known!"

"What more do you want to know, Luke? He's dead. There's nothing I can do to bring him back." Obi-Wan says. Luke can feel the anger growing in Obi-Wan too. He's been doing well at concealing it, probably from years of practice. But it's almost like fire now, slowly intensifying. He can practically feel the heat from it on his skin just standing next to Obi-Wan.

"I know there's more to the story," Luke says, stepping forward. "I don't know how I know, but I know you were there. I know you're hiding something from me." He harshly whispers, their faces now inches apart.

Obi-Wan scrunches his nose. Luke almost doesn't recognize him or his voice when he finally replies. "Go to your room. We're done here for now." He rumbles. Without another word, he turns on his heels and leaves Luke alone in the room.

Luke lets out a groan, tightening his fists and tossing his head back. Why are they so set on keeping him in the dark? What does Obi-Wan know that is so terrible that he won't talk about it? Luke's old enough to know about what happened in the past. He's not the same child that would have nightmares about Darth Vader finding Obi-Wan and killing him. He isn't the little boy that would cry at his vision of Darth Vader luring him to the dark side anymore. He can handle the truth now.

Luke grabs his lightsaber and exits the training room into the empty hallway. The silence only irritates him more. Why did he have to go and train? Why couldn't he be sent to his room like the others? Everyone else on base has to follow the rules. Why does he have to be the exception?

He storms to his room, smoke practically coming out his ears. All of this is some big joke. He wants to go to his room to sulk until Leia returns. He hopes that she will bring him some news otherwise this whole thing is pointless. Just before he reaches his room, a cry makes him freeze in his tracks.

Suddenly, all of the anger he was harboring has morphed into fear. The wails are loud, ricochetting off the white walls like a stray bullet. They send chills down his spine and make his heart swiftly beat. Goosebumps run down his arms and the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. 

Who is crying?

Whoever it is, they must be in trouble or deep pain because he can feel it. It feels like someone punched him in the gut. Things like this have happened before. He can sense people's emotions if he's close to them and if they're intense.

Luke goes against his better judgment and begins to follow the sound. He's not sure how he plans on helping them, but he must make them feel better. He has to do something if no one else will. He is also curious about who he has connected to this time.

At first, the path isn't anything significant. All he knows is that the sobs belong to someone on the base. Soon, he realizes where he's at. He's walked it a hundred at least. He keeps walking though, pushing aside the thought that it could be her. It has to be someone else in the area.

He rounds the corner and his eyes land on Bail Organa and some of the other senators. Luke ducks behind the wall, keeping his eyes on them. They're talking in hushed voices so it's pointless to try and listen to what they're saying. It's not like he could hear them over the sobs anyway.

He furrows his eyebrows, knowing the cries have to be close. He looks around for what room they could be coming from. Just at the end of the hall, right where Bail and Mon Mothma are chatting, he notices his mother's room. His stomach drops as he finally accepts who's crying out.

These tears, these painful mourns are coming from his mother.

He presses his back to the wall, trying to hold in his gasp. What happened at that meeting? Who has hurt her? Unable to take it anymore, he turns around, covering his ears. He can't listen to his mother crying like this. Someone has hurt her and he can't do anything about it. What kind of a son is he?

Tears prick in his eyes as he rushes to his room. Why can he feel the sadness she's radiating? It's like a beacon, striking something inside of him. He feels like he has heartburn, but he knows that it's his mother's heart breaking.

He finally reaches his room and slams the door behind him. He falls onto his bed, his breathing labored. He presses one of his hands onto his chest, hoping to release some of the pain. It does nothing. A few tears fall from his eyes and he quickly bats them away. He can't describe what he's feeling. All of this is so strange, so unnatural.

After a while, his breathing becomes stable. He can no longer hear her cries in the distance. He takes the pressure off his chest, noticing that his heartburn has faded away. He touches his face, glad to feel that there are no new tears.

His mother must have calmed down. Someone must be comforting her. He can no longer feel her sadness through all of the walls. Everything is back to normal mostly. He stays laying on his back though, trying to figure what happened.

Eventually, he can hear people returning to the hallway. Their sounds of laughter mock him in his state of confusion and mild sadness. He wishes he could be as carefree as them. When he was younger, he used to long to be normal like them. He would silently beg to have the Force disappear from him. Instead, it's almost as if he has grown in it. His life has just gotten a lot more complicated.

He wants to know what he just experienced, but the only one who might have the answer he turned away. He pinches his eyes shut, scolding himself. Why did he start that fight with Obi-Wan? Though he's never said it out loud, Luke knows how much his father means to Obi-Wan. Why did he have to push him to the breaking point?

Obi-Wan is probably so angry with him. After all, Luke did so many things wrong today. He used his anger to lash out at Obi-Wan. He accused him of hiding secrets and demanded to be told them. He tried to force a hurting man to talk about his deceased best friend.

What is wrong with him? Obi-Wan probably wants nothing to do with him anymore, not that Luke blames him. He doesn't want anything to do with himself at the moment either. He's selfish. He's nasty. And, most importantly, he's insensitive.

Without warning, Luke's door burst open. He jumps up from his bed, half expecting it to be Obi-Wan. Instead, he watches Leia close the door behind her. Finally, she has returned. He eagerly steps towards her. "So what did you—Oh, Leia. You smell awful." He comments, pulling away from her. He covers his nose, holding back gags. Why does she smell so bad? The stench reminds him of throw up.

He grabs a bottle of his cologne and quickly sprays her down. He can't be around such strong stenches for long without losing his own meal. Once the smell is masked, he finally has time to look at her. She's pale and her eyes are puffy. Leia is not knowing for crying, so something is definitely wrong. "What happened?" He asks, his eyes searching her face.

"Hold me. Please." She begs, rushing into his arms. He was so sure it was his mother that was crying. He heard the sobs coming from her door. Maybe it was Leia. It would make a bit more sense. There have been multiple occasions where they've been connected through the Force.

But why was she crying? Why did she feel so much pain? Something has shaken her up because he's never seen her so frightened in his life.

She must have been discovered and punished. "Did Mom find out? Are you in trouble?" He quickly asks. He looks down, feeling her trembling in his arms. He should have been with her. She shouldn't have done this alone. He should have pushed harder to be the one to listen in.

"No. Luke, this is much worse than that." She says, pulling away from him. He feels like chest tightening, watching the fear grow in her brown eyes. "The information I found. . ." She trails, her voice wavering.

Then a knock comes from the door. Both of them freeze, their eyes locking. Has someone found out what they've done? Neither one says anything, afraid of what is to come. They pray that the stranger will go away.

Another knock comes.

Leia shakes her head but Luke knows that he has to acknowledge that they're in here. "Come in." He says.

_~~~~~~~~~~_


	6. Chapter 5

Obi-Wan lets out a sigh, rubbing his eyes. It's useless. Though it's quiet, he can't concentration. All he can think about is what happened in that training room and the power Luke had. After their fight, Obi-Wan retired to his room to meditate on what he should do. He needs guidance from the masters of the past, specifically Qui-Gon. They would know how to train Luke.

He looks down at his hands, slightly shaking his head. He can still feel the anger coursing through Luke. They're connected in the Force, especially at this moment. Today, Luke made him relive his greatest nightmare. His stomach dropped and an unnatural amount of fear entered his body as he looked into the young boy's eyes.

Was that Anakin or only his imagination?

Over the years, Obi-Wan has been able to spot Anakin in both of the twins. Typically, the similarities are nothing more than Anakin's mannerisms. Leia furrows her eyebrows like he would when he was concentrating. She also has a terrible habit of biting her nails when she's anxious. Luke inherited Anakin's tendency to daydream and unconsciously mess with his hair when he's talking.

But Luke is so much like Anakin that Obi-Wan has to stop himself from accidentally calling him his father's name almost daily.

Not only does he look like a carbon copy of the padawan Obi-Wan loved, but he feels emotions deeply just like him too. Most people brush Luke off, saying he's a sensitive kid and not to worry about it, but Obi-Wan knows much better. It's the Force working through him, just like his father.

Thankfully in Luke's case, Obi-Wan was able to work with him through these feelings from when he was a toddler. He knows the signs of when he's angry or sad and how to help Luke handle them. If only Anakin could have been found that early. But it would have made a difference? Would the outcome have changed if he knew how to control his emotions?

Accepting that he can't change the past, Obi-Wan decided to learn from his mistake. He wouldn't let his failure with Anakin happen to Luke or Leia. He's sworn to dedicate his entire life to making sure of it. These two precious children will not fall into a life of pain and suffering like their father if he has anything to do with it.

He doesn't care if he has to travel across the galaxy to make it happen. He will do whatever it takes to keep them safe, to keep Anakin's children safe.

Obi-Wan rises to his feet, his knees aching. He has to remind himself that he's not the man he once was. He tries to stay in shape, but it only prolongs the inevitable. He's starting to grow old and needs to accept it. He feels more pain in his joints than before. His hair has almost lost all of its color and is now a light gray. He doesn't even want to think about all of the wrinkles he now has on his forehead.

He exits his room, seeing all of the rebel members wandering the halls. Padmé's meeting must be over. He wants to go and see her and ask how it went. He wants to be there to make sure that she's okay. But first, he has to deal with Luke.

He goes to the boy's room and knocks on the door. There's no reply, but he knows Luke is in there. After the fight they've had, there's nowhere else he would be. His room is a safe zone where he feels okay to express his emotions.

Obi-Wan knocks again. He is not going to leave until he talks to Luke. He doesn't want to go too long without communicating with him. They need to talk this out before things get worse. He can't let Luke slip away from him. Thankfully, he doesn't have to knock a third time because Luke calls for him to enter.

When he opens the door, he's startled at first. It's common for the twins to be together, but he can sense their unease through the Force. They're up to something or were up to something. "Leia, I wasn't expecting to find you in here." He says.

"Oh. Yeah, I just came here to talk to Luke about our test this morning." She answers, her voice slightly shaking. Obi-Wan arches his eyebrow, walking into the room. Now that he's closer, he can see the puffiness around her brown eyes. He's alarmed by how pale her face is.

"Leia, are you okay?" He asks, his voice soft and slow. She feels his eyes studying her. One half of her wants to scream at him and demand to know why he kept this secret from her and Luke. But the other half of her wants to walk into his arms and cry into his shoulder. She's has mixed emotions about him right now, but she knows for a fact that he truly does care about her well-being.

But he can't know that she knows the truth about her father. "Yeah, I'm fine." She says with a forced smile.

"What happened?" He asks as he reaches out to her.

She takes a step back, her eyes darting around the room then landing on Luke. "I came in here to talk to Luke and he got scared and sprayed cologne into my eyes. My eyes just burn, that's all. I'm okay, really, Uncle Obi." She insists. But she honestly doesn't feel okay. The burning is happening in her heart, not her eyes. She feels angry and betrayed by Obi-Wan and by her mother.

He nods his head, going along with it. The room does have a strong scent of fresh cologne. Luke must have sprayed the whole bottle on her because Obi-Wan's own eyes are starting to water.

As he looks at her and thinks about why he came in here his stomach flips. Curse his fading memory. "Where were you this afternoon?" He asks. She didn't come with Luke to train. After their fight, Obi-Wan completely forgot that Leia was supposed to be there with them. If she wasn't there, then where was she?

"I was with Bail Organa. We were discussing my mission to Lothal next week." She answers, her shoulders tensing up. Obi-Wan knows that look. Anakin would do the same thing when he was lying to him.

Besides her obvious signs of lying, Obi-Wan knows that Bail Organa was with Padmé during that meeting. He wouldn't step out from a call with the Empire to tell Leia about Lothal. She's been there before and knows how to work supply missions.

He wants to know the truth, but that's the least of his worries right now. He gives her a soft smile, hoping that he doesn't show that he knows she's lying. "Alright. Well, if you don't mind, I would like to discuss something with Luke alone, please."

"Of course. No problem." Leia chuckles as she slips past him and out the door. Once she shuts it, Obi-Wan walks over to Luke. He feels guilty for how the day played out. He should be a better role model for him.

He sits down on Luke's bed. Slightly dropping his shoulders, Luke joins him. "I'm sorry for the way I handled our situation today. I let my emotions get the better of me." Obi-Wan begins, folding his hands in his lap.

"No, I'm sorry," Luke argues as he shakes his head. "I did a lot of wrong things today. I used my feelings of anger to fight even though you've warned me not to. I pushed you to talk about my father and what happened to him. Today's fight was all my fault."

Obi-Wan studies him, softly nodding his head with a smile. "We both made some mistakes today. And it's good that we both recognize it because that means we can take the right step to move forward together."

"So, you're not mad?" Luke asks, giving him a shy smile.

"No, I'm not mad. Well, I was, but I've gotten over it. It helps that you've shown great maturity by admitting your faults. It makes me hopeful that I'm actually teaching you something." He chuckles as he pats Luke's shoulder. He feels like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders. He thought that this would go so much worse. He had nothing to worry about.

"Well, I'm still mad. And I'm confused." Luke confesses, clasping his hands together. He doesn't want to lie to Obi-Wan. He has always been someone Luke could be completely honest with. He's been his father figure all of his life. He goes to him for guidance, comfort, and safety. Plus, Luke wants to know what happened between him and his mother this afternoon. All of it was so freaky.

"That's normal. Everyone gets angry and confused. We are humans, not protocol droids. Our emotions won't suddenly change just because we made up." Obi-Wan answers. He wants Luke to understand that emotions are not something you can just ignore. You have to know how to work with them.

Luke furrows his eyebrows and lets out a sigh. "I want to know about my father. I want to know about the secrets you and my mother are keeping from me." He says. He takes a deep breath, feeling a tightness in his chest. "And I want to know what happened today after our fight."

Obi-Wan tilts his head. "What are you talking about?"

Luke touches above his heart. "Today, I felt this intense sadness. I have an idea who was feeling this, but it really felt like I was the one who was getting my heart broken. Tears ran down my face and everything." He rambles, clutching his shirt. He looks into Obi-Wan's wise eyes. "What does that mean? What happened to me?"

Obi-Wan takes a deep breath, his hand going to his chin. He tugs at his beard, lost for words. "Your father was emotionally attached to the Force the same way you are. He mentioned once or twice how he could feel the pain in others, but he never said if he had a physical reaction to it."

"So there's something wrong with me?"

Obi-Wan shakes his head. "No. As Jedi, we were trained to push our feelings aside. That was always a struggle for your father."

"You didn't train me to push them aside. You told me that I needed to work with my emotions, not against them." Luke says, slightly cutting Obi-Wan off. It doesn't make any sense to push emotions away. They would only get stronger if you didn't acknowledge them.

"I didn't train you as a Jedi," Obi-Wan slowly says. "Your mother made that very clear to me. So, instead, I trained you the way I thought emotions should be handled."

Luke hums in thought. Though his mother constantly told them they were not to become Jedi, Luke always thought that he was. After all, he made a lightsaber and has been training to use it. Obi-Wan taught them how to use the Force and when and how it's okay to use it. Isn't that practically all you need to know in order to be a Jedi?

"I think tonight after supper we should meditate on this. You can meditate on how to resolve your anger. You need to find a proper way to cope with it. I'll meditate on this new discovery." Obi-Wan says as he rises from the bed. He smiles at Luke, glad that things are healing. He was afraid that the bond between them was starting to crack.

"Sounds good." Luke smiles.

"Good," Obi-Wan replies. He goes to leave but pauses at the door. "I would like you and Leia to join me for supper. It's been a while since we've caught up."

"Yeah. I'll make sure to tell her." Luke says. Once Obi-Wan leaves the room, Luke lets out a sigh. He thought for sure that Obi-Wan would come in here and scold him for how he behaved during their training. He also thought that he and Leia were caught. So far, they both seem to be in the clear.

_xxx_

About five minutes to supper, Luke exits his room to go to Leia's. It's not too far from his. When they were younger, they used to share a room. When they would ask why, both Obi-Wan and their mother would tell them that sharing a room would help them to stay good friends when they were older.

Luke doesn't know if there's any scientific proof behind that, but he and Leia are very close, much closer than other siblings they've met on the base. And he knows that it isn't because they're twins. Just because you share a birthday with someone doesn't mean you magically get along.

He knocks on her door and she carefully opens it. She peeks her head out then pulls Luke inside. She has her hands intertwined, her knuckles turning white. Luke can feel the fear leaking off of her. It makes his own heart begin to race.

"Luke, there's something I need to tell you." She says, her brown eyes meeting his blue ones. She gnaws at her bottom lip, anxious for how he's going to react. She only hopes that it goes better for him than it did for her.

"What's wrong?" He asks, slightly shuffling his feet.

"It's about what I heard when I was listening to Mom." She says. She takes a deep breath. There's no easy way to say it. She should just let it out. "Mom was in a meeting with Darth Vader."

"What was Mom doing talking to Vader?" Luke asks, narrowing his eyebrows. "She's told us plenty of times how dangerous he is."

"Luke, that's not what scares me." Leia breaths, flinching. She almost gags on the words as they come out of her mouth. "She called him Anakin Skywalker."

Luke freezes as it feels like time stopped moving. Did he hear her correctly? Their mother called Darth Vader by their father's name? "No. You must have misheard her."

"I didn't mishear her," Leia argues. She knows that this is a shock, but why would she ever lie about something like that? Their father and Death Vader are two topics that should never be joked about. "I heard her call him Anakin as clear as day."

He shakes his head, laughing. "No. That's not true. That's impossible."

"You know it's true, Luke. You can feel it deep in your gut, just as I do." She insists, stepping toward him. She clenches his arm, startling him. "Darth Vader is our father." She slowly says, emphasizing every word.

"You're crazy." He says, pushing her away. "Like, I actually think you've lost it."

"I'm not crazy! I know what I heard!"

"Do you even hear yourself?" Luke scoffs, towering over her now. "Why would he be our father? Obi-Wan and Mom both told us that he died. Darth Vader can't possibly be our father."

"You're in denial. You just don't want to believe me!" She exclaims. She expected a lot of reactions from Luke. Anger. Sadness. Shock. But she didn't expect him to be in denial. Why doesn't he believe her?

He rolls his eyes. "I'm not in denial, Leia. I'm being realistic." He says. He shakes his head, running his hands through his hair. "Look, I just came here to tell you to join me and Obi-Wan to supper."

She hugs her arms across her stomach. She doesn't want to be anywhere near Luke or Obi-Wan. "I'm not hungry."

"He's going to know something is up if you don't come," Luke says as he walks to the door. Though the idea of eating anything makes her nauseous, she follows him out of her room. What other choice does she have? She has to keep the facade up that everything is okay.

The two of them enter the mess hall, quickly spotting Obi-Wan. He gives them a welcoming smile, which eases Luke, but upsets Leia. How can he sit there and be so happy when he's been hiding the galaxy's biggest secret from them?

They sit across from him. Luke throws his tray onto the table, making his jello wiggle hysterically. Leia has to pry her fingers from her tray before setting it down. She's so angry at him. What else has he lied about? It could be anything at this point. Maybe their mother isn't even their mother.

Obi-Wan braces himself, feeling the anger in Leia. Something or someone has upset her greatly. Though it's common for her to be mad, this is something else. He feels betrayal and rage growing in the young woman before him. He wants to know what has caused this. "Anything interesting happen today?" He asks, grabbing his fork.

The twins share a quick glance and Obi-Wan catches it. He knows that there's something up and this has only confirmed it. Leia lied about where she was and was clearly distraught when he found them in Luke's room. The two of them are quieter now than they have ever been. Even as babies, they were constantly making noise.

Luke notices that Obi-Wan is now suspicious. Around most people, they can pull off almost anything. Not around him. It's almost like he can read their minds. He knows when there's something off. When Luke was younger, he used to think it was the Force giving them away. Now, he gives most of the credit to Obi-Wan's insane ability to read people. The Force only gets some acknowledgment in it.

Luke gulps. "Nothing too interesting today. We had lunch with Mom."

"That must have been nice." Obi-Wan smiles. It doesn't seem like a lie, but he feels it in the Force. They know something. If he can pry at them for just a few more minutes, he might be able to uncover their dirty secret. "Leia, what was something interesting you did today?"

She swallows her impulse to snap at him. She has to maintain some manners with him otherwise she might as well throw all of her cards on the table now. "Oh, nothing much. Just a typical day on the base for me."

He nods, but then he feels it. His stomach drops as he practically hears their thoughts out loud. Both of the twins know. Leia believes it more than Luke, but it's clear that he is questioning it as well.

How did this happen? Who told them?

Leia's eyes widen as she senses Obi-Wan's realization. It's like a prick on the side of her head. She doesn't know how, but she knows that they've been discovered. Somehow, he has uncovered what they've been up to today though she has hardly spoken.

She grabs her tray. "I'm not hungry." She declares as she rises from her chair. Her eyes meet Obi-Wan's and she sees her anger mirrored in them. He furrows his eyebrows and she holds her breath. She needs to get away before he asks her any more questions.

She bolts away to drop off her tray, leaving Luke alone with him. "Leia, wait!" He calls out. He grabs his tray and follows her. Why is she running off? What has happened?

They thought they were subtle by leaving, but it has only confirmed Obi-Wan's suspicious. They have uncovered the one lie he's spent the past decade trying to bury.

Leia and Luke rush to his room. She's shaking with both rage and fear. She's mad that they've been lied to, but she's also afraid of what Obi-Wan will do now that he knows. Is he going to punish them? Kill them? It seems impossible, but they now know that they are the offspring of a mass murderer. Wouldn't they be better off dead?

"Way to keep low, Leia." Luke spits as he closes his door. "Obi-Wan won't suspect a thing now." He sarcastically adds.

"He already knows. I don't how, but he does." She rambles. Before she can say anymore, Obi-Wan bursts into the room. They snap their heads to look at the raging storm that has entered. He slams the door behind him and towers over the two of them.

"Do you two have any idea what you've done?" He asks, his nose scrunched. His tightly clenched hands are shaking at his side. His face is a shade of pink that grows darker as each second passes. His hair has somehow become a mess, only adding to his crazed look. He is surprised that he hasn't completely blown his fuse yet. He is so upset with them. 

Luke has never seen Obi-Wan so angry. Not when he had stolen Obi-Wan's lightsaber as a young child. Not earlier today when Obi-Wan scolded him for using his anger. Not even when Luke had accidentally used their real names on Tatooine about a year ago. That day, he thought that Obi-Wan was going to burst into flames. He yelled at Luke the whole way home about how dangerous it was for both of them for him to use their real names when in public.

That used to be the scariest day of his life.

That has been replaced with this very moment. The Obi-Wan standing in front of him is nothing like the gentle man he loves with his whole heart. This man is like a ticking time bomb. One wrong word and he'll blow.

Leia tightens her fists, trying to keep herself from losing her mind. She needs to stay calm. Maybe they can play the innocent card. "How did you find out?" She replies, her voice trembling.

"Your thoughts at the table betrayed you." He growls his deadly, wild gaze now on her. She pulls her arms to her chest. He reminds her of a mad animal. He might as well show his razor-sharp teeth. It would have the same effect on them.

"So it's true then?" Luke slowly asks. He is no longer afraid of Obi-Wan punishing them. Instead, his mind dwells on the fact that Obi-Wan never denied the elephant in the room. In fact, his silence answered his question better than an actual spoken response. "Darth Vader is our father."

Obi-Wan flinches, almost like someone slapped him. It's been over a decade since he last saw their father. Still, the thought of him and what has become of him feels like someone has taken a knife and is slowly twisting it through his already cracked heart. "Darth Vader is not your father, Luke. Anakin Skywalker is." He replies, his voice softer than before.

Leia lets out a dry laugh, gaining her confidence back. If he thinks he has the right to be mad at them, then she has the right to be mad at him. She is the one who has been lied to her entire life. He's the one who shielded them from this gutwrenching fact. The fire grows inside her as she looks at the man who has been lying to them for fifteen years. "What's the difference? They're the same person, aren't they?"

"Don't you dare say that." Obi-Wan suddenly fires at, his finger trembling. "They are not the same person. Darth Vader is not the man I trained. Darth Vader is not the man I thought of like my brother. Darth Vader is not your father. Anakin Skywalker is and he is dead. He died fifteen years ago. Darth Vader is the soulless being who replaced him."

"I can't believe this." Luke scoffs, shaking his head. He feels like he's living in one of the nightmares he had a child. All of it seems so insane. Darth Vader is their father and no one ever told them. They had to find it out by sneaking around. "This entire time, you knew." He quietly says. 

Obi-Wan ignores him. He doesn't want to go there. He doesn't feel good about lying to them, but it was for their safety. They couldn't know. And now, all of the precautions they took to ensure that they would be safe has been destroyed. They no longer have their innocence to protect them from the monster behind the mask. "Who told you? How did you two find out?"

"It doesn't matter," Leia says, brushing past Luke who looks like he's trapped on another planet. She needs to talk for both of them now. She stands to face Obi-Wan alone, furrowing her eyebrows. She can take him. In fact, she feels like she can take on a whole army right now. "We deserved to know."

"You did deserve to know." Obi-Wan nods, his eyes locked with her. Leia almost cracks a smile, happy to be winning the fight against him. She didn't think he would give in to her so easily. But as she looks into his eyes, she sees fear. She sees internal suffering. How long has he been hiding this from them? "You weren't ready to be told though. You aren't ready for what is to come."

"We're fifteen. We can handle whatever is to come." Leia replies, her confidence wavering. They aren't children that need to cower behind him and their mother anymore. They are ready for the challenges that are ahead for them. They can fight for themselves now. 

But his eyes. He suddenly looks aged, weighed down by the agonizing years of the Clone Wars, this rebellion, and everything between. He looks so afraid. He looks like he's in so much pain. Why did he hold this information from them in the first place?

Obi-Wan dryly laughs, startling her. "You two don't have any understanding of what can of worms you've just opened for yourselves. This wasn't supposed to happen, not yet. You aren't ready for the battle you've just started."

"Yes, we are." Leia fires back, narrowing her eyes at him. "You just don't believe in us. You still think that we're the children you've had to protect for the past fifteen years."

"You still are the children that I have to protect!" Obi-Wan shouts. He holds back his cries, trying not to scare them more than he has. All of the safety that he and Padmé worked for to keep them out of the eyes of the Empire has now been swiped away. He doesn't know how to process the idea that after all of these years their last shreds of hope could now be taken by the Empire.

Tears are present in his blue eyes, sending shivers down the twins' backs. They have never seen him cry. They rarely see him in any emotion besides peace and content. Now, his anger has faded away and has been replaced with unimaginable pain and fear. "I am going to protect you for as long as I can, but what you've just done can't be undone. I'm not the same man I was all those years ago. I don't know if I can save you from him again!" Obi-Wan confesses.

Moved by his emotions, Luke pushes Leia away. "Obi-Wan, what are you talking about?" He can sense the pure terror in the man. If he wasn't so numb by the fact that Darth Vader is his father, he would probably be crying with him. What has Obi-Wan this afraid?

"Darth Vader will come for you." Obi-Wan slowly answers, the tears now running down his face. He makes no attempt to hide them anymore. "He will know that you two are alive. He will sense you just the same way that I did. He is going to come and try to turn you to the Darkside. If you don't agree, he will kill you. And I can't stop him. I can't be there to save you."

"We can take him. We can all do it together, Obi-Wan." Luke insists. He reaches out, grabbing his hand. When their hands met, Luke shivers. He softly gasps, able to feel some of the pain and fear Obi-Wan is feeling. How has he been carrying this with such poise for the past fifteen years? How has he kept all of these emotions to himself?

Never has Luke felt this afraid for his life. And he knows that this isn't even all of the burden that Obi-Wan is carrying.

Luke tightens his grip on Obi-Wan's hand, wanting nothing more than to relieve him from his pain.

"Luke, it's not that simple. I fought him once, many years ago. Back then, we were evenly matched. It is not the same anymore. He has been consumed by the Darkside and his powers have grown greatly. And I have grown old, my body hurting much more than it has in years." Obi-Wan softly says. The room is silent aside for the footsteps just out in the hallway."You two don't know what you've done. You don't know what battle you've accepted."

He pulls his hand away from Luke and quickly wipes the tears away from his face. Without another word, the man leaves the room, taking his pain and years of suffering with him.

But he left part of his fear inside the room with them. It feels cold, goosebumps present on their arms. 

What have they done? 

The twins share a look, clearly shaken. It looks like they got their wish. They finally know the truth, a truth they were so desperate to know.

Was it worth it though?

What is to come now that they know about their father and the twisted monster that he is?

**~~~~~~~~~~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I was originally planning on ending the book here. But, after planning out the next few chapters, I have decided to continue this! It is going to be three parts, each having five chapters. I am planning on updating every Friday still, but I'm not sure how to do this with AO3. Should I just add the chapters to this book or make two other books? I want to make this as easy as possible for you guys to find so please let me know! Also, thanks for all of the amazing support so far! It makes writing this so much fun!


	7. Chapter 6

**_ PART TWO: ENDURANCE _ **   
  
  


Luke rolls over again. He tucks his arm under his head and pinches his eyes shut. He's been tossing and turning all night without a single wink of sleep. He wants to drift away for just a few moments to forget about the events of today, but his mind won't let him. It feels like there's a circuit of energy bolting through him with no stop in sight.

He groans, laying onto his back. All of this is their own fault. They shouldn't have been snooping around, but they were so curious. All of their life, they've been hidden from the secrets of their father and anything involving the rebellion. For once, they wanted to know something.

He tosses his arm over his eyes in hopes of aiding his quest to fall asleep, but it does nothing. All he can think about is the fact that Darth Vader is his father. The man who killed off the Jedi Order is his flesh and blood. The idea of being related to that monster almost makes Luke laugh out loud.

How? How is he the son of that murderer?

He sits up and tosses the covers off of himself. His shirt is sticking to his chest, his room uncomfortably warm. He can't take it anymore. He needs to talk with someone about this. He hasn't spoken to anyone since the confrontation with Obi-Wan.

He just needs someone to listen while he voices his fears and concerns about his future.  
What is going to happen to him now? The big secret has been spilled and he now knows what really happened to his father.

Though it's the middle of the night, he exits his room. He walks over to Leia's and gently knocks their secret knock on her door. He has a feeling that Leia is not asleep for the same reason that he isn't.

He hears movement inside and her door opens a few seconds later. Her hair is down, the long brown waves falling over her shoulders down to her waist. She gives him a sad smile and motions for him to enter.

She closes the door, leaning against it as he goes to sit at her desk. "Can't sleep?" She asks, running her fingers through her hair. She figured Luke was up but didn't want to disturb him in case he was actually asleep. She's glad to know she's not the only one who's awake at this hour.

Luke shakes his head. "No. My head just keeps thinking about our father." He answers. He sits backward on her chair, resting his arms on the backrest then placing his chin on top. "It seems unrealistic. It's like I can't get the thought into my head quite right."

Leia nods. "I understand. I can't stop thinking about it either. It's like the words keeping repeating in my head over and over again. 'Darth Vader is my father.'" She explains. She lets out a shiver, pulling her arms to her chest.

"Cold?" He asks, watching her.

"Yeah. I've been freezing all day. I swear, it's like they turned down the heat to keep us locked in our rooms." She says. She walks over to her bed and pulls the blanket off. She wraps it tightly around herself like a cocoon.

"Turned down the heat?" He playfully scoffs. "I think they turned it up. I'm so hot right now. I've been sweating all day." He says, pulling at his shirt in an attempt to cool himself off.

"You must be sick." Leia smiles as she sits on the floor. "I bet you have a fever."

"I am not sick." He says, rolling his eyes. "You're the one who's sick. You're shivering. People always say they're cold when they're actually burning up with a fever." He says with a grin.

"Maybe." She chuckles, looking at the ground. A peaceful silence settles between them. It's comforting just to be in someone else's presence right now. It's nice to know that they're not alone.

Leia lets out a soft laugh, her gaze still on the floor. "Do you remember that one time we got really sick as kids and Mom made us stay in bed for a week?"

"Yeah." Luke smiles. "Uncle Obi made us soup. He said that they used to make it all of the time at the Jedi Temple. It was supposed to cure them of their illnesses really fast. I don't think he made it quite right because I think we were in bed an extra three days from it."

"Or maybe it did work and we got better faster because of it." Leia counters with a smirk.

He chuckles. "I guess we'll never know."

"We'll just have to trust that he was right." She says. They fall silent again, but this time it's not the same. She can feel the uneasiness in the room. The tension of the unknown is almost suffocating. Though the topic makes her stomach hurt, she wants to talk with him about what is to come. "Luke, what are we going to do?" She quietly asks.

"What do you mean?"

"You know." She sighs, looking up at him. "What are we supposed to do now that we know? This secret. . . It's like it's changed our future somehow. I mean, neither of us have ever met our father. We've never had contact with him. Hell, we didn't even know he was Darth Vader until a few hours ago. But it's like I have this irrational fear that I'll turn out like him now. Like it's my destiny to turn to the dark side."

"Leia, don't say that." He says, sitting up. "We aren't going to turn just because our father did. It's not like it's built in our genes or something. It's a choice to turn to the dark side. Why he did it, I can only guess, but it won't happen to us. We won't make that mistake."

"How can you be so sure?" She asks. "Why did they keep this secret from us for our entire lives if there isn't a chance that we'll follow him? There has to be a reason why they kept this from us."

Luke pauses, considering it. She has a point. Why would they keep this a secret from them if there isn't a chance of them turning to the dark side? What would they have to gain from keeping this from them?

He rises from his spot and walks to the door.

"Where are you going?" Leia asks, her head turning to watch him.

"I'm going to talk with Uncle Obi." He says, his hand resting on the doorknob.

"Luke, he's probably asleep. You should leave him alone to get some rest." She argues as she rises from the floor. The blanket drops from her head and rests on her shoulders. She reaches out, touching his shoulder. "Besides, it's not like he's going to suddenly fix everything. We should just leave it until morning."

He shakes his head. "I can't leave it until morning. I need to talk to him now."

"It's just going to be a waste of time." She says as she shrugs her shoulders.

"I don't care. I need to see him." He says, opening the door. He steps into the dark hallway, quietly moving towards Obi-Wan's room. He can't leave things the way they did. He wants to make sure that Obi-Wan is okay. Plus, Luke wants some comfort. He and Obi-Wan have always been close and he knows that Obi-Wan would never turn him away, even if it's the middle of the night. Even if he's disappointed him multiple times in one day.

Leia pouts as she argues with herself. She doesn't want to go, but she doesn't want to be alone either. "Ugh. Slow down. I'm coming." She groans as she gently closes the door to her room. The soft light from her lamp seeps out from under the door. It provides enough light for her to follow the figure of her brother until her eyes adjust to the dark.

When they reach the door, Luke takes control and knocks first. It's quiet for a few moments, the air still. Leia is about to open her mouth and tell him that she was right when the door opens.

"Hello there." He gently greets. Leia's stomach drops as she looks at the aging man. She's suddenly afraid that today's fight has aged him years. She feels guilty for what she found out today and spilled to Luke. She feels like all of this is her fault.

Luke steps forward, happy to see that he's awake. "Uncle Obi, do you mind if we talk? Please?"

He opens the door wide, waving them in. "Of course." He says. They quickly shuffle into his room and stand beside the door, unsure where to go exactly. Obi-Wan doesn't have much but the room is small. There's a mat on the floor and a few trinkets on the shelves. There's a chest in one corner of the room that brings them happy memories. It's been carried with them to every new location.

Obi-Wan sits on his mat and gestures for the two of them to come close. The twins take a seat on the cold floor in front of him. Leia shuffles to move her blanket underneath her so that she won't completely freeze. Luke lets out a sigh, the cold ground cooling him off. "I was expecting the two of you," Obi-Wan says.

"Expecting us?" Luke repeats, tilting his head to the side. He wasn't planning on coming here until just a few minutes ago. How could Obi-Wan know they would show up at his door this early in the morning?

"I couldn't sleep properly for a long time after the fall of your father. I figured you two would be the same." He says. He takes a deep breath, hoping to keep himself calmer than before. Whenever it comes to Anakin, he can't seem to find a way to control his emotions. He's been building up a wall to keep it in for over a decade, but today he's been weak.

His eyes dart between the twins in front of him. Though they've grown so much in just the past few years, he can still see the two happy toddlers in their faces. Their eyes used to be so bright, making his heart full of love and joy. But after this evening, he sees pain and fear. He feels responsible for this change in them. He should have done a better job protecting them from this until the time was right.

Leia stays silent, watching him. She loves Obi-Wan very much, but she doesn't have the same type of relationship with him as Luke does. He is the first person Luke will go to anytime he needs guidance, a friend, or even just someone to talk to. Obi-Wan is more of a teacher and family friend to her. He is important in her life, yes, but Luke sees him more as the father they never had.

The person she thinks of as her father is Bail Organa. She almost wishes she was with him right now. The only thing stopping her is she doesn't know if Bail knows about her father. She doesn't want this horrid information to spread to him if it's possible. She doesn't want him to change his opinion of her because of what her father has become. She doesn't want to age him the same way she has done to Obi-Wan.

Luke looks over at Leia then back to Obi-Wan. It's clear that she won't be adding much to the conversation tonight. Not that it really matters. He is the one who wanted to come here. "I'm feeling lost, Obi-Wan." He confesses. "I'm not sure what to feel or what to do. I just feel numb and confused."

"This is a lot to take in, Luke," Obi-Wan says, a soft frown on his face. "You're not expected to learn this and then go about your life as if nothing has happened. This is hard and I know that it hurts."

"But that's just it, I don't feel anything," Luke says. He takes a gulp, looking down at his hands. "I know I should feel afraid or upset, but I don't."

"It's okay if you don't feel anything." He comforts, his hand reaching out to touch Luke's shoulder. Luke looks up, his eyes meeting Obi-Wan's blue ones. "Don't beat yourself up if you don't feel anything. There is no right emotion to feel. Over the years, you may feel differently, which is okay too. The important thing is to know how you feel and how to handle it."

"But what if I don't know how to handle it? What am I supposed to do?"

"Then you come to me." He says his voice suddenly firm. The twins hold their breath, their attention grabbed from his change. "I will always be here for you. It doesn't matter what you've done or what is happening. I will drop everything to help you, do you understand?"

Luke nods his head. "Okay." He quietly says. "I will come to you. No matter what."

Obi-Wan drops his hand and turns to Leia. "It's the same for you, Leia. It doesn't matter the situation, I will be here for you. I will always make time for you. It can be about anything. Just come and talk to me, okay?"

Leia blinks, shocked at his offer. She's never been close enough with him to feel that she could come him no matter what, but this offer comforts her nonetheless. She feels part of the weight on her shoulders being lifted. "Okay."

He gives her a smile, softening again. "And how do you feel about this? I know you must be feeling something. We both were letting our emotions get the better of us earlier."

Leia sighs, sagging her shoulders. "I feel angry and betrayed. You have been lying to us about our father for our entire lives." She says. Obi-Wan just nods, which makes her want to continue. He is allowing her to speak what's on her mind without interjecting and making her feel invalidated. It's not often that people let her do this. "And I'm afraid of my future. What is going to happen to me now that I know this? Will I turn like him?"

"You have every right to feel angry at me. I'm sure you believe that you should have been told this earlier, but I want you to know that I did this with the intent of keeping you safe. It wasn't for my own personal gain or because I thought you couldn't handle it. You are both very strong and I am very proud of what you have accomplished." He answers. Leia softly nods her head, understanding his reason for keeping it from them. She doesn't think that it was right, but at least it wasn't because he didn't think they could handle it.

He is one of the few people who has told them personally that he fully trusts them and believes in them. He is proud of them for what they have done on their own. Their efforts to prove themselves has not gone unnoticed. To him, they don't look like helpless children who need to rely on their mother for help.

His hand rests on hers and she suddenly feels safer. He gives it a soft squeeze. "I don't know your future, but I don't believe that you'll turn like your father. I failed your father many times, but I have learned from those mistakes. I raised you two with great faith that you would never follow in his steps." He adds. Leia noticeable relaxes, content with his response for the time being. She feels better now that some of her questions have been answered.

It's hard to believe that only a few hours ago none of them could be in a room together. There was so much chaos and pain that no one could think about their actions and the consequences that would follow. Now that they've all put their emotions aside, it's like their souls have met and made up. They all feel at peace and closer than ever before.

Luke shifts, trying to get comfortable again. "Now that Leia has brought it up, I'm also worried about our future. Not about our father or our paths. How do we go forward from this? What do we do now?"

Obi-Wan brings his hand to his chin, tugging on his beard in thought. "Have you talked to your mother yet? Does she know what you've uncovered?"

They hang their heads in shame. "No," Luke says.

"Because you're ashamed for snooping around?" Obi-Wan asks.

"No." He replies, shaking his head. "Well, not really." He corrects, a blush coming to his cheeks. "It's mostly because I'm afraid of hurting her. I saw how you reacted and I'm afraid that she'll do the same. I don't want to do that to anyone again."

"I let my emotions control me, and I'm sorry about that. I shouldn't have reacted that way." Obi-Wan says. He takes a deep breath and gives them a soft smile. "But you should talk to your mother. She deserves to know and you can't keep this from her forever. She will find out, even if you don't tell her. Your mother is a very smart woman, trust me."

"I can't tell her. It'll break her heart." Luke argues. He can already picture the pain and sorrow that will cross her face when she hears. He doesn't want to ever put her through that. He can almost hear her weeps echoing in the hallway again at the thought of telling her.

"She can handle it."

"What if you do it? Then she knows and we don't have to tell her." Leia offers. She doesn't want to hurt her mother either. She has gone through so much in her life and she doesn't deserve this. Besides, she needs to worry about leading the rebellion and ending this war. This painful secret can't come to light now.

"I think you should tell her. It'll be much easier for everyone if you do it yourself. Plus, I think that it'll help you deal with this. You'll feel better once all of you know." Obi-Wan insists. He thinks that things will go a lot smoother for the twins if they do it themselves. He doesn't want them to regret her finding out and never getting the chance to tell her themselves.

"Can we go together? And be there in the room while you tell her?" Luke asks. He doesn't think that he'll be able to get the words out if he has to tell her. He wants to be there when she finds out though. Maybe Obi-Wan can just say it for them.

Obi-Wan takes a deep breath, thinking this through. It's clear that it's not what he wants, but he nods his head. "Yes. We can go together."

Luke lets out a chuckle, some stress leaving him. "Thank you, Obi-Wan."

He smiles, folding his hands into his robes. "Anything thing for you two." He says. The three of them sit in silence, exhaustion now hitting them. A few yawns exit the twins and Obi-Wan rises from his mat. "I think you two should head to bed. We have a busy day tomorrow and it's late."

They rise to their feet and go to the door. Leia begins walking into the hallway but stops when she notices Luke isn't following her. She goes back, watching him struggle to find the right words. "Uncle Obi, I hope this doesn't sound childish, but can we stay in here for the night? I just don't want to be alone right now." Luke asks as he runs his hands through his hair.

"It doesn't sound childish, Luke." Obi-Wan replies, softly touching his shoulder. "You both are welcome to stay the night in here."

So the three of them spread out across the floor in his room. Though his room is small, it is just big enough for them to sleep without being uncomfortably close. At first, it's awkward to lay in the silence. Leia's tempted to leave, but once she closes her eyes, she falls into a deep sleep. Luke slows down his breathing and connects himself with the Force. It brings him peace, lulling him into a calm slumber. Obi-Wan remains awake until he's sure the twins are asleep. His eyes grow heavy as he watches over them. Before he can stop it, he's fast asleep with them.

It is the best sleep the three of them have had in years.

~~~~~~~~~


	8. Chapter 7

They wake up from the soft morning rays entering in from the window. They all agree to go and get breakfast, famished from not eating supper the night before. To their surprise, the twins gobble almost everything in sight. They're slightly anxious about talking with their mother, but not enough to stop them from eating. After last night, they feel better about their current situation.

Luke takes a deep breath, glancing at Leia as they reach their mother's door. He's thankful that she and Obi-Wan are here with him. It is nice to know that he has a united force of support with him.

Obi-Wan knocks and their mother calls for them to enter. She turns around from her vanity, smiling at the group. "Good morning." She greets, rushing to them. She kisses each of the twins' heads then gives Obi-Wan's hand a quick squeeze. "What brings you three to my quarters this early?"

"Padmé, we need to talk," Obi-Wan says as he closes the door.

Her brown eyes dart between the three. She straightens her back and clasps her hands together. She can tell that something is wrong. It's rare for all four of them to be together, especially with such a deadly silence. Usually, the twins are full of life and energy. They are never this quiet, even when asked to be. "What's going on?" She asks.

"I'll explain. We just need to clear the room." He says, his eyes scanning around them. Padmé gives a nod, understanding what he means. She gets rid of everything that could possibly listen in or watch them. There's not a lot, just a few communication devices. She sees no loss in getting rid of them. Based on the vague information Obi-Wan has given her, she knows that whatever he has to tell her cannot be risked getting out.

Once she's gotten rid of everything that could be used against them, she looks to Obi-Wan. She can feel her heart beginning to race but tries to look calm. She must look strong for her children. She cannot scare them with her facial expressions. "Obi-Wan, what's happened? What's wrong?"

He takes a deep breath. He didn't really think through how he was going to spill the news to her. He figured he could wing it and something would come to him when he looked at her. Instead, he feels more lost for words. Feeling defeated, he slightly sags his shoulders. "There's no easy way to say this, Padmé."

"Just tell me. It's best to lay it all out anyway." She says. She gulps, feeling her throat going dry. Are her children okay? Has someone said something that might imply them being in danger? Is there something out there that threatens the rebellion or its members?

"They know, Padmé." He softly says with soft tears in his eyes. "They know about Anakin and what has become of him."

Padmé takes a deep breath, her hand going to her throat. It feels like he's choking her again, but it's only her imagination. He's not here in this room, it's impossible. He can't possibly be hurting her right now.

Except he is. He's tainted her children. And now their innocence and love of her Ani have been destroyed because they've discovered what he has become. They know what monster has taken his place.

"How?" She whispers as she swallows her emotions.

Leia steps forward. Obi-Wan did what they asked. He told her what they discovered and now it's their turn to talk. Their mother deserves to know the rest of the story from them. "I listened in yesterday during your meeting. I know it was wrong, but I couldn't help myself. I'm sorry."

Padmé bites on her lower lip. She wants to scream and shout, but not at Leia. Sure, it was wrong to go and spy on her meeting, but Leia is her daughter. When she chose to listen in, it wasn't like she meant to hear about her father. She was just being rebellious, like all teenagers. Like Padmé once was.

So instead of showing the rage she feels at the thought of all that has been lost, she reaches out and cups Leia's cheek. "It's okay." She softly says.

Luke comes forward now. His heart is racing in time with his mother's. She's showing calmness and poise, but he knows what she's truly feeling. He has connected to her yet again. She's afraid of what is to happen to them now. She's angry that they've ruined fifteen years of protection. She's saddened that they know who their father truly is. She's worried about how they are handling this news.

But somehow her love is stronger than those emotions. She is able to put on a good face and act like nothing is wrong. She shows them compassion and tenderness when they went behind her back. They don't deserve this from her after what they've done.

"What are we supposed to do?" Luke asks, touching her arm. She gives him a frown, then looks over at Obi-Wan. She doesn't know what to say. She has an idea about what they should do but she isn't sure if it's right. She doesn't want to hurt her children more than she already has.

Obi-Wan shrugs his shoulder, his tears blinked away. "Cat's out of the bag at this point." He says.

Padmé nods in agreement then looks at both of the twins. She's glad that he's mostly on the same page as her. "Obi-Wan is right. It's not like you can just forget about it. I think our best plan is to act as if nothing has changed. We can't have anyone getting suspicious."

"What about our missions? Are we still supposed to do those? You know there's a chance that he will make an unexpected appearance." Leia says. What if she meets him? Obi-Wan said that they weren't ready for this. Doesn't this new information affect how they should move forward?

"It's a very slim chance, not enough to worry about." Padmé answers. "We will do just like we always have. You will go on your missions like normal and Luke will train with Obi-Wan. Nothing has happened."

_xxx_

Leia tucks her blaster into its holster on her hip. She would prefer to carry her lightsaber, but it's not really an option for her. If she was to get caught carrying that around while on a diplomatic mission, she would be in for a whole lot of trouble. Well, not just her. She would get a lot of people into trouble.

"You seem nervous." Bail says, startling her. She jumps, her wide brown eyes making him softly chuckle. "Don't worry, Leia. It's just like you've done before."

"But you won't be there," Leia replies. She lets out a sigh, watching the stars zoom past. They've been in hyperspace for a few hours and should be reaching their destination shortly, but she can't help feeling uneasy. Things have changed greatly since the last time she talked to Bail.

"You don't need me there. You will do just fine, you always do." He says, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face. She gives him a smile, but it doesn't quite reach her eyes. He knows something is wrong but doesn't have any idea what it could be. Leia has always been able to voice her troubles and opinions to him. What is holding her back?

"Leia, is everything okay?" He asks, his eyes studying her. She holds her breath as she folds her hands over her stomach. She hopes that he doesn't notice that her hands are trembling. She needs to play innocent or confused. He can't see that something is eating her up inside.

"What do you mean?" She asks, tilting her head to the side. She feels silly lying to him, but she doesn't want him to know about her father. She feels dumb for being so afraid. It's Bail, after all. It's not like he would ever assume that she would turn out like her father. He's known her for her entire life. He knows who she is as a person.

"It's just that you're unusually quiet. I'm worried about you, that's all." He explains. Leia has hardly spoken a word this entire trip. Most of the crew complains about her nonstop chatting when she leaves and they think he can't hear them. Today, even the crew have voiced their concern about her silence.

"I'm okay." She says, but it doesn't have that touch of confidence she wants. She sounds as uneasy as she feels. Inside of her, it feels like there's a kaleidoscope of angry butterflies demanding to escape. What is she so afraid of? She wishes she could give a clear answer so she could fix the problem, but she doesn't know. There are so many possible reasons and she isn't willing to waste time trying to discover the correct one.

"You don't look okay. You're pale." Bail says, his eyebrows furrowing in concern. "Maybe you should sit this out. I don't want you to force yourself to do this if you're feeling unwell. We can get someone else to do this."

"No!" Leia quickly protests. Bail takes a step back, surprised by her outburst. She has to do this mission. It's the one thing she hopes will get her mind off of her father and everyone's pain. She needs some normalcy in her life, and that is diplomatic missions. Plus, her mother told them to continue on as if nothing has happened. By stepping away from this, it shows that something has happened. "I mean, I just really want to prove to you that I can do this alone. I promise, I'm okay. Just a little nervous, that's all."

Bail pauses, debating if he should let her go or not. He knows that she is lying. It's clear that something has spooked her or she's really sick. But he also knows how much she enjoys going on these missions. It's her chance to prove to everyone that she can handle herself. It shows that she is not just the child of Padmé. She is pulling her own for this rebellion. Going against his better judgment, he nods his head. "Okay. But if you start to feel unwell, let me know. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I won't get hurt, I promise." She smiles.

The ship jolts as they come out of hyperspace. Bail gives her a hug. "You will do great."

"Thanks." She says, hugging him back. They let go and she goes to her position. Four stormtroopers accompany her, two behind and two in front of her. She straightens her back and folds her hands over her stomach. This mission will go just as it was planned. She has nothing to worry about.

Without any words spoken, she and her guards land safely on the planet. Her supply ships land only a few yards away, stormtroopers quickly exiting and unloading them. She walks around, keeping her eyes open for anyone who seems to be out of place. She tells her guards to leave, giving her the opportunity to meet the rebels alone.

At first, it seems like no one is going to show up. It feels like she's been walking around for hours, watching the supply transports being loaded. Whatever rebels are on Lothal must be unable to receive these supplies. Just when it looks like all is lost, a stormtrooper lays his hands on her. Her hand goes to her blaster as she flips around.

"Woah, woah. It's alright. We're on your side."

"Phoenix Squadron?" She asks, arching her eyebrow.

"Yes. I'm Kanan and this is Ezra." He replies, gesturing to the cadet trooper. "We're here to take those supplies off of your hands."

She nods her head in understanding. She restrains herself from smiling too brightly. Finally, these will fall into the right hands. "I know who you are. Just keep it down and follow me."

The three of them march towards the commander. She places her hands on her hips, assuming her princess personality. For whatever reason, no one wants to argue with her when she's this way. "Commander, what is taking so long?"

He stutters, trying to come up with a reasonable excuse. "Miss, I'm sure these men are working as fast as they can."

"It's 'Your Highness,' and I think that they could be working at a much faster pace. I'm terribly bored on this planet and would like to return to Alderaan as quickly as possible." She complains as she crosses her arms over her chest. She forces herself to pout as she holds back a laugh at his worried expression.

"I would be honored to give you a tour of Lothal. It would be much more entertaining than watching these ships be loaded." He smiles, hoping that she'll agree and not complain anymore. Lothal doesn't need to be given a bad rap, especially coming from Princess Leia.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea. But I think that it would be good for you to stay here. We can't have any rebels coming here and stealing supplies again." She says, turning up her nose. She must put on the act that rebels are disgusting and annoying. She is working for the Empire technically at the moment.

"I must admit, I do not like the thought of you being alone. Please, take some troopers with you. The rebel insurgency here is not safe for someone of your status to be alone." He says.

"Of course. I'll take these two." She says, gesturing to Kanan and Ezra. "Let's go, troopers." She says as she turns on her heels and goes to the commander's shuttle. The three of them board the ship and take off into the distance.

Once it's safe for them to talk, Ezra speaks first. "So, what is the plan? There are a lot more stormtroopers than normal."

"Well, we were just going to have you take the transports, but I'm not sure if you'll have enough people for that. I thought that they would be able to load the supplies onto fewer ships." Leia says as she lets out a sigh. She wants to make Bail proud by getting the rebels all of the supplies, but they could make do with only a few. At least some supplies got to them then.

"I think everything will turn out okay. We have more people on the way who are willing to help. This mission will still work as planned." Kanan assures, giving her a slight nod. He was told that Senator Organa was sending his most trusted assistant to Lothal. He was not expecting someone Ezra's age to be here.

"Just wondering, but why didn't you just give us the supplies while in deep space? Wouldn't it make it much easier for everyone? We wouldn't have to worry about stormtroopers and losing supplies in the process." Ezra asks. He isn't quite sure why they would take this risk over something much safer. There's a greater guarantee of the supplies getting to them by doing it in deep space.

"If we did that, then the supplies could still be traced to Alderaan. If it becomes evident that we're helping rebels, we'll lose our seat in the Senate and we'll be unable to get valuable information that helps the rebellion prepare for attacks and defend planets that would otherwise be under Imperial control." She briefly explains. There's a lot at stake with Bail helping out the rebellion. He is risking his life every day trying to find ways for them to outsmart the Empire. If he ever gets caught, there's no doubt he'll be executed.

The thought of him dying, especially by execution, makes her stomach drop.

"Oh, this is a lot more complicated than I thought. I didn't realize how much Alderaan is putting on the line for small planets like us." Ezra says, sinking back in his seat. He's still somewhat new to this whole rebellion. They've been with Phoenix Squadron for a bit, so he mostly understands how that works, but he has no clue about anything involving the Senate. The political work going into this is practically mind-boggling to him. He's glad that there are people like Leia and Senator Organa out there who understand how it works so he doesn't have to.

While they wait for Hera to give the signal, Ezra becomes curious about Leia. She is very pretty and really smart. She's also his age and Senator Organa's most trusted agent. He wants to know more about her. He knows that she's his daughter, but why is she trusted to do these missions alone? Does she like doing them or are they a chore for her? He also wants a change in pace from the rebellion news he so often hears about. He decides to start with an easy question. "I've never been to Alderaan." He begins, leaning forward to peek in between Leia and Kanan. "What's it like?"

What's it like? Leia can hardly find the words to describe it. "It's beautiful." She happily sighs. "It's nothing like Lothal. Your planet is very flat with wide-open plains, which is beautiful in its own way. But on Alderaan, we have mountains that go through the clouds. They're majestic. When you look up at them, you realize how small we really are."

"It sounds amazing. Maybe when this whole thing is over, I can fly on over and check it out." Ezra smiles, leaning on the armrests of their chairs. She gives him a smile. The idea of the rebellion winning and having friends visit on her Alderaan sounds like a fantasy. She's glad that Ezra has shown her that she's not the only one who thinks about life after this war. Far too often, she only hears about the bad things that could come from the rebellion failing.

"First, we've got to get the supplies. Afterward, we can daydream about faraway planets." Kanan says as he taps Ezra's helmet.

The two of them begin to bicker in a way that Leia understands. Kanan is not scolding Ezra, as one might think. Instead, he's rather trying to keep his focus on the present. As she and Luke have been told by Obi-Wan many times.

She smiles to herself, listening to them chattering when she feels a tremor in the Force. She's felt it only a few times before. Those that she's been around her whole life, like Luke and Obi-Wan, she can name by their tremor. Other times, she's felt it just being around random people on base. Ever since the fall of the Jedi, many people with the ability have not known about their hidden strength. She's met many people who have it without knowing. It's funny to see them give all of their good fortunes or gut feelings to good luck.

Obi-Wan taught them that there is no such thing as good luck.

She feels that familiar pull of someone strong with the Force right now. She looks over at Kanan and Ezra. One or both of them has a strong connection with the Force. Do they know that they have this ability? Are they aware that they're like her? That they're the last of a dying religion?

Ezra's communication device beeps, entering her thoughts. "Specter-6, are you there?"

"We're here, Hera. We're ready for you to land." Ezra answers.

"Perfect. We'll be there shortly."

Kanan looks over Ezra to make eye contact with Leia. "We best head back. I hope you have an idea about how to distract those troopers."

Leia smiles and brushes him off. "Of course. Distractions are my specialty."

He gives her a smile then turns the shuttle around to go back to the loading area. He too feels a pull in the Force. He knows that it's Leia. There's no one else it could be. He can feel how strong it is with her and he wonders if Ezra feels it too. He assumes that she doesn't have a clue about her talent because she is about Ezra's age. She's probably never had contact with a Jedi because her father is in the Senate. She isn't roaming planets like other lost Jedi are. Does she even know what the Force is?

The loading area comes into view and the three of them silently prepare their plan of attack. Kanan expertly parks the shuttle. He and Ezra escort her out and follow her toward the commander. Leia holds her head up high as she gets his attention. "Your Highness, how was your trip?" He asks.

"It was okay. Lothal is nothing like Alderaan." She says, looking at her nails. Kanan taps out a pattern with his boots, signaling that they're ready to steal the supplies. She taps back to him that she received the message.

Just as the commander begins to reply, shots ring out. "Rebels!" The commander shouts. The loading dock is sent into chaos. Blasters are heard from every direction. Leia ducks to the ground, covering her head as Kanan jumps over her to reach a transport before a stormtrooper.

She begins to stand, watching a stormtrooper get to the transport before him. She wants to use the Force to pull him back, but she's afraid that it'll be noticeable. She can't miss up on this mission by using the Force, but she also doesn't want to disappoint Bail. She wants all of the supplies to go to the rebels.

She watches the stormtrooper fly back, hitting a wall and sinking to the ground. She looks at her hands, startled at what she watched. Did she do that? Did anyone else see that?

"Don't worry. Kanan and I got a few tricks up our sleeves." Ezra grins, lightly elbowing her. She jumps, startled. She watches as he begins to use the Force to push stormtroopers away from the transports, giving the new rebels time to steal them.

She snaps her head to look at him. "You're a—"

"Jedi? Yeah. Pretty cool, right?" He smirks. He grabs his lightsaber from his hip, his green light catching everyone's attention. He bolts from her side, drawing the blaster fire away from her. He has to force himself to frown so that it isn't obvious how much he enjoyed seeing her shocked expression. It's fun watching people realize the power he has.

Leia's heart leaps in her chest. She, Luke, and Obi-Wan are not alone. They are not the last Jedi roaming the galaxy. There are more like Kanan and Ezra. They know about the Force and have their own lightsabers. She has to bite her tongue from exclaiming that she's like him. She too has the Force. She has her own lightsaber too and it's bright blue. She wants to tell Ezra that Luke has a green one just like his.

She wants to tell him that he is not alone in this journey. That there are two more Jedi back on her base who would want nothing more than to meet more people like them.

She has always wanted to meet another person like her.

She is giddy with excitement at the thought of going home and telling Luke and Obi-Wan that there are more Jedi out there. Obi-Wan isn't the only one to survive Order 66. His signal saved people from returning to the Temple. Kanan survived and is training someone her age.

But now's not the time to think about that. She needs to focus on the present, which involves getting every transport into rebel hands. She helps distract the stormtroopers by causing a scene. "Help! Someone help me!" She cries out.

Stormtroopers rush to her aid. Everyone has assumed since she was a child that she can't hold her own, that she needs people protecting her. If she can't change their mind, she'll just use it against them. Now, most of the stormtroopers are trying to cover her instead of focusing on the problem at hand. 

She watches the blue and green lightsabers disappear into the distance on top of the stolen transports. Eventually, everything dies down. Stormtroopers begin to give her space but keep their blasters armed and ready. She messes with her hair, counting to see how many transport shuttles remain.

They stole them all. Her mission is a success!

She walks over to the commander, masking her joy with fear. "I could have been killed! What kind of facility are you running here?" She demands.

"I'm terribly sorry, Your Highness. The rebels here are dangerous. They take everything that comes." He says, bowing his head in shame.

"I'll be telling my father about this. He will not be happy to know that you put my life in danger and how you lost the supplies that we had to beg the Empire for. Things do not look well for you." She snaps, scrunching her nose in disgust.

"Please. I wish you wouldn't. I can get those supplies back. We won't let what Senator Organa has done for us go to waste." He quickly replies. He can not risk getting the attention of the Senate. He could almost guarantee to lose this job or worse.

Leia takes a deep breath and pouts her lips. "Alright, I won't mention the supply loss to him. But I will tell him about how you risked my life today with all of that blaster fire." She says. He nods his head, understanding. "I would like my shuttle now. I wish to go home."

"Yes, of course, Your Highness." He says. The crew works faster than they have all day. They are eager to get her off of this planet before more disasters happen. They don't need her to see how the rebels practically run the show on Lothal.

When Leia is finally reunited with Bail, she rushes to give him a hug. They are alone, out of the ears of any stormtroopers, but they still talk in vague conversation. "How did it go?" He asks.

"Horrible." She sighs. They let go but Bail's hands remain on her forearms. "Rebels showed up and took all of the supplies."

"I'm sorry that things didn't go like they should have for your first time on your own." Bail replies. He gives her a quick smile and a wink. He is so glad that everything has gone according to plan and that Leia is alright. He was worried at first, but just as he thought, she was able to handle it all on her own. He leans in close, his voice barely above a whisper in her ear. "I am so proud of you."

**~~~~~~~~~~**


	9. Chapter 8

  
  
  
Their lightsabers crackle as they make contact. The motions are slow and deliberate, practicing perfect deflections. "Good. That's looking nice, Luke." Obi-Wan says as he walks around the twins. "Adjust your left foot, Leia, and you'll be perfect with that form."

Leia lets out a sigh, following his comment. She wants to be perfect. No, she needs to be perfect. When the time comes, she can't risk making a mistake. He is strong and has been training with a lightsaber much longer than her. Though she's been sharpening her skills, he is much more superior. He will have the upper hand when they finally meet.

Luke narrows his eyes and bites on his lower lip. Though Obi-Wan has told him he's getting better, he doesn't see it. He has been practicing outside of their lessons, but he feels like it has been nothing but a waste of time. He is not at the skill level he should be for when he meets his greatest adversary. If he doesn't improve any time soon, he will be nothing but a burnt child after their battle.

"Emotions," Obi-Wan says, catching their attention for a short second. "Don't let them control you. Work with them, use them to your advantage. Find the peace in the fight to see your opportunity to strike. Giving in to anger will only set you off balance."

The lightsabers buzz as they meet for one last time. Luke and Leia are both panting, their chests heaving up and down. Without speaking, they both turn their lightsabers off and walk to Obi-Wan. "Now what?" Luke asks as he places his hands on his hips. If he was allowed to, he would train all day with Obi-Wan. He wants to learn more about wielding his lightsaber and using the Force to his advantage. He needs to be prepared for his inevitable fight.

"I think we can be finished for now. You've been working really hard today." Obi-Wan says. He tucks his arms into his robes, somehow looking more relaxed than expected. It's almost as if now that the secret has been revealed that he feels better.

"No, please. Can you at least teach us one more thing for the day? I'm not quite ready to be done." Luke insists. He doesn't want to go off with his friends or hide in his room. His friends seem too carefree compared to what he's going through. He knows that he should allow himself some time to be a kid like them, but he can't do it right now. He needs to work out his own emotions involving his father before playing around.

Obi-Wan gives a soft chuckle. He won't say it aloud after the past few days, but Luke sounds just like his father right now. Always wanting to learn more, never wanting to stop. "What would you like to learn to finish off our lesson?"

Luke runs his hands through his hair, thinking. "You mentioned that our thoughts betrayed us at the table. What did you mean by that? And can we do something so that won't happen?"

"When you get older, you will be able to detect more with the Force. You and Leia already have a taste of what the Force can give you when you open yourselves up to it. You two know certain tremors in the Force and can sense other people's emotions. I've been working with it a lot longer and can use the Force to know what people are thinking about. I don't use it often because the results can be disastrous, but that night you two were as easy to read as a book."

"So what can we do? How do we prevent someone like Vader from reading our thoughts?" Leia asks as she tucks her loose strands of hair into her buns. She had been curious about this topic when it first occurred but forgot about it when things came crumbling down. She's thankful that Luke remembered and brought it up.

"Thankfully, you two are already acquainted with the Force. You have an idea of how it works. This should be fairly easy for you two to learn. The best way to keep someone from reading your thoughts is to completely block it out or think of something else. A few masters I knew used to clear their minds, but I was never good at that." Obi-Wan softly chuckles to himself, remembering the few times he had to protect the information in his head from others.

"Think of something else," Luke says, thinking to himself. "That doesn't seem too hard."

"It's harder than it sounds. You're supposed to think of something without thinking of what you don't want to disclose. Kind of complicated, but I think with practice the two of you will be able to get it down." He encourages with a smile. "We could try now if you like."

The twins nod their heads and close their eyes to concentrate. This type of training isn't common for them, but they are willing to learn. They want to be as prepared as possible for when they will inevitably meet their father. If learning how to block out others from their minds is an option, they'll do it.

"I want to know where the two of you were last night," Obi-Wan says. "Whoever slips up first has to share."

Leia clears her mind, thinking of nothing but pushing Obi-Wan out of her mind. She does not want to lose to Luke, especially after the beating she took today when sparring him. She thinks of nothing but darkness and emptiness.

Luke tries to think of something else, anything else than what he was doing last night. The only problem is, he doesn't know what to think about. R2 comes to mind, but he was with him last night. He begins to fumble, feeling a prickling feeling on the side of his head.

"Interesting, Luke," Obi-Wan says. The twins open their eyes to see him smirking. "Why don't you tell Leia what you were up to."

Luke looks over at his sister, who is sticking her tongue out in victory. "I was working with R2 on the X-Wings in the hangar. We were picking out his favorite one and designing it for our next flight."

"Of course," Leia says, playfully rolling her eyes. Luke and R2 are always out in the hangar working on the ships. Leia doesn't understand how Luke can find that interesting, but at least it gives him something to do on base. She doesn't really have a hobby besides preparing for diplomatic missions.

"Leia, why don't you share?" Obi-Wan asks, grinning at her.

"Why? I didn't lose." She replies as she tilts her head.

"You might have held out longer than Luke, but when I began to talk, you stopped blocking me from your mind. I was able to read your mind just seconds after you opened your eyes." He says, making her groan. "Come on. All a part of the learning curve. Now you both know not to let your attention get taken away too easily."

"Fine. For the sake of learning." She chuckles. She crosses her arms over her chest, glancing at Luke. "I was with Valora. We were having a girls' night. You know, braiding each other's hair and talking about everything going on on base. Nothing crazy."

"With Valora, I'm sure. Nothing crazy ever happens when she's around. " Luke sarcastically replies. Valora is one of Leia's few friends on base. She's loud, loves attention, and always takes things too far. Plus she always has to find a way to annoy him. Luke tolerates her solely for Leia's sake. At least, that's what he says.

Ignoring the comment, Obi-Wan presses on. "I want you two to try these techniques for the rest of the day. Just practicing blocking things out or thinking of other things. Nothing too fancy. Then at supper, if you would like, I can test you again."

Luke looks to Leia, who shrugs her shoulder. He nods his head. "Sounds good."

Obi-Wan gives them a quick smile then makes his way for the door. It's been a long day for all of them so they can understand why he's so eager to take a break. Jedi training is not an easy task, especially for someone his age. At least, that's what he tells them. Both of the twins like to think that he just says that so that they'll leave him alone so he can take his afternoon nap in peace.

As he crosses the room, a thought enters Leia's mind. How could she forget? She exclaims, "Wait, Obi-Wan!"

"Yes?" He asks, glancing over his shoulder.

She runs to his side, hardly able to keep the smile off of her face. "There's something I wanted to tell the two of you about my mission."

"What is it?" He asks, tilting his head to the side. If he had to guess, he would say that it has something to do with the rebellion or some political figure. Leia doesn't see too much action thankfully. Most of her work involves diplomatic missions from the Empire that require order and perfection. But she looks so happy that he knows that it couldn't possibly be about political work.

"I met two Jedi." She grins.

"You met two Jedi?" Luke cuts in, his blue eyes almost bulging out of his head. For their entire life, they've been raised as the last of the Jedi. The religion and order of it live within them and they would have to pass it on to younger generations someday if it is to continue. To hear that there are others out there like them seems almost impossible.

Then again, so was the thought of Darth Vader being their father.

Almost nothing seems impossible now.

"Are you sure?" Obi-Wan asks, his interest peaked. Suddenly, leaving to meditate in his room seems boring. He wants to know everything that she's discovered. Who else has survived Order 66? Are they old like him? Could they be someone he knows from his past life?

"I'm sure." Leia quickly nods. "They had lightsabers and everything."

"Not to sound negative, but anyone can carry a lightsaber, Leia," Luke says. He wants to believe her. After all, it is possible. Obi-Wan can't be the only one to survive Order 66. But it's so easy to get lightsabers on the black market. Any moron can swing their civilized weapons without understanding the complexity and history behind them. It doesn't take a genius to flick the switch and chop someone's arm off.

"I know." She replies to Luke. "But they used the Force. And they've clearly been trained to use the lightsabers. They weren't just swinging them around like kids trying to hit a piñata. They used techniques similar to ours."

"Did you catch their names?" Obi-Wan eagerly asks, stepping forward.

"Kanan Jarrus and Ezra Bridger." Leia answers. She lets out a long sigh, slightly shaking her head. "They both looked really young. I know that Ezra is around our age, so that means that Kanan had to be the one to survive."

Obi-Wan furrows his eyebrows. "I can't recall a Kanan Jarrus. How old would you place him?"

Leia shrugs her shoulders. "I don't know. He can't be more than 30."

Obi-Wan frowns, pulling on his beard. "I spent some time with the younglings and padawans in the Temple but not enough to remember their names. I was too busy with the Clone Wars." He mumbles.

"Think about how young he was when Order 66 happened," Luke says, catching both of their attentions. "He was probably younger than us, Leia. I can't imagine being that little and having to fend for myself."

"I'm surprised nothing else happened to him," Obi-Wan says, shaking his head. "I felt lost when it happened and I could defend myself. I had a plan and people that I knew I could trust, like your mother and Bail. When you're young, like Kanan must have been, the Order is all that you know. You're raised in the Temple and depend on it for security, food, and family."

"I want to meet him," Luke says.

"As do I." Obi-Wan agrees. "I want to know how he survived through that chaos. Clones were hunting us down for a while after it was declared. He must have been living on the run for years."

"I can try to see what I can do. All I really know is their names, which I was informed about before the mission. I was not told that they were Jedi. I'm assuming that it's hidden from the rebellion." Leia says, partially thinking out loud. She can understand their reasoning for keeping it a secret, but this is the rebellion. Jedi are almost instantly accepted to high ranks for their talents and wisdom. The rebellion can also provide protection. Why would you keep it a secret from the rebellion?

"Thank you for telling me this," Obi-Wan says, grabbing Leia's arm. "This means a lot to me. To know that someone else out there is alive and carrying on our legacy. It gives me hope that the Empire did not wipe us all out."

"It makes me happy too. It's nice seeing that there are other Jedi out there still swinging." She chuckles.

"What color were their lightsabers? How did they tell you that they were Jedi?" Luke asks, wanting to know as much as possible. How was she able to keep this information from them until now? He would have been telling almost everyone. Her ability to wait until the right time has always been something Luke has admired. 

"I'm sure Leia will happily share everything she knows with you." Obi-Wan chuckles, lightly patting Luke's shoulder. "I'm going to leave you two alone now and go see what I can find on our mystery Jedi."

"Bye, Obi-Wan." Leia waves.

"See you at supper," Luke adds. Once he leaves the room, Luke turns to look at Leia. "Okay, seriously. Tell me everything." 

"I don't know. It all kind of happened so fast." She begins, finally letting herself dwell on the experience. She didn't want to tell anyone, including Bail and her mother, in order to keep the secret. There must be a reason why Kanan and Ezra didn't disclose the information with the rebel group. She doesn't want to accidentally turn them away by having this get out.

"What do you mean? Wasn't it just some stupid diplomatic mission by the Empire?" He asks, putting on a stupid grin to mock the mission and the Empire. 

"Yeah, but this time I could have been killed." She scoffs as she gives him a shove.

"Seriously? I thought what you did was like super secure." He replies, rubbing his arm.

"It usually is. But when you have Jedi waving around blue and green lightsabers, stormtroopers are going to fire. And their blasters are not set to stun when dealing with rebels. Plus, we all know that they don't have the best aim." 

"Blue and green?" Luke exclaims, completely ignoring the part that she was fired at and almost killed. "Who has a green lightsaber like me?"

"Ezra," Leia answers with a soft smile. "You know, you two would probably get along really well."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because you both think having a green lightsaber is so cool. Gotta show it off every chance you get." She says, mocking him with jazz hands. "It's clear that blue is superior, but you don't see us constantly bragging about it."

"You're just jealous that yours isn't green." 

_xxx_

In order to be assigned to their base, you have to pass a series of tests. They want to ensure that whoever has a chance of being this close to high ranking rebel leaders is not a spy or something worse. The rebellion can not risk losing their leader or a well-known Jedi High Council Member. Along with the tests, they have other precautions set up. Obi-Wan goes by an undercover name and Padmé is rarely seen outside of her quarters or well-guarded meeting rooms. 

Though it is difficult to reach them, there are even more tests in order to be with the twins. These tests are mostly observed, usually seeing how they react with others and things they've said when they think they aren't being watched. As a final test, Padmé and Obi-Wan have to approve of them. If you falter on anything, it's almost guaranteed that you will not spend a single second alone with either of the twins.

Even after all of this, their friends are not allowed to know much information about them. For example, no one on the base has any clue that they are Jedi. Luke and Leia both understand why they have to be under so much security, especially after the discovery of who their father is. But it still feels like Obi-Wan and their mother are too protective. It's hard to make friends when they have to be watched so closely in the beginning.

Wedge and Valora are a part of the select few who the twins are allowed to be close with. Both of them were approved and passed every test necessary. In fact, they passed easily, showing their true colors when they first arrived on the base. Even so, the twins have to be careful about what they share. 

Currently, all four of them are hiding away in Leia's room. None of them want to deal with the drama happening on the base or in their personal lives. "Is it true that Kuiper is thinking about becoming a pilot?" Leia asks as she braids Valora's long blonde hair.

"I don't know." Wedge replies as he picks at the dirt on the bottom of his boots.

"Luke probably knows." Valora smirks, holding back a laugh as she watches Luke silently mock her out of the corner of her eyes.

"For your information, I do know." He replies as he glares into her green eyes. He then goes back to cleaning his blaster with a more playful tone. "He is thinking about it, but he isn't sure he wants to deal with all of the requirements."

"That's Kuiper for you." Wedge laughs as he slightly shakes his head. "He can't have too many rules."

"And what's that whole deal with him and Faye? Are they like a thing?" Valora asks, tipping her head back to look at Leia. 

Leia shrugs her shoulders then tips Valora's head back down to continue her work. "Luke?" 

"From what I've been told, he's been meaning to ask her, but she's never alone. She's always with someone." He quickly answers.

Valora laughs. "Why do you know all of this?"

Luke chuckles as he runs his fingers through his hair. "I don't know. People either think I'm not listening or they come to me for all of their problems. I guess I'm just approachable."

"Sure." Wedge playfully says, making Luke tackle him.

As the two of them wrestle, Leia finally finishes Valora's hair. "Done!" She cheers, tossing her hands into the air. She grabs her mirror and holds it out in front of Valora. "What do you think?"

Valora smiles, running her fingers over the braid weaved on her head like a headband. It's intertwined with an orange ribbon to match her pilot suit. She lets out a sigh, shaking her head. "It's terrible. Take it out." She sarcastically says.

"You're so ungrateful. I hate you." Leia laughs as she snatches the mirror from Valora's hands.

"Oh, please. You love me." Valora cheers, pulling Leia into a tight hug. 

"Whatever," Leia smirks. The two boys get out of hand, tumbling into them. All four of them are sprawled out onto the floor. Leia would normally yell at Luke for being annoying, but instead, she bursts into a fit of giggles. 

"You two are so stupid." Valora says between pants as she lays on her back on the floor.

"Hey, you're just as stupid. You still hang out with us." Wedge counters as he places his hands underneath his head. Neither of the girls says anything, knowing that he's right. The four of them may be stupid, but it's always fun. There's never a dull moment when they're together.

A silence settles between and Luke feels like he needs to say something to take it away. "I wish it could always be like this." The other three groan. "What?"

"Why did you have to say that?" Valora asks, tilting her head to the side to look at him.

"Because it's true." He says. "I feel like we shouldn't have to be worrying about war and piloting and our aim and everything else stressful. We should get to screw around all day and do things because we want to, not because it's our duty."

"I wish. That sounds like a dream." Leia smiles as she closes her eyes. If only the galaxy wasn't filled with so much pain and chaos. Their mother and Obi-Wan talk of times before the Empire, even before the Clones Wars. Things seemed to be so much more peaceful. Of course, there were still systems and planets that needed help, but they had the Jedi for that. Kids were allowed to be kids for the most part back then.

If she could time travel, that's where she would want to go, for even just a day.

"Luke has always been a daydreamer." Valora teases as she flicks his forehead.

He wants to be mad at her, but he smiles instead. Being a daydreamer can sound like an insult when used in the wrong way, but Valora made it into a compliment surprisingly. "What? Someone has to be positive in this group."

"If you're the positive one, then Leia has to be the negative one." Wedge pipes up. Leia pouts at him and he gestures for her to let him explain. "I mean, the two of you got to balance each other out. That's what makes you such a good team. You've got a yin and yang thing."

"Oh jeez, we're getting philosophical. Time to change the subject!" Valora singsongs, making them chuckle.

At that moment, Luke and Leia's comlinks beep. "There's a subject change for you." Leia smiles as she rolls onto her stomach. "I'm assuming it's Uncle Ben wanting us to join him for supper." 

"Aw, I thought you two were going to join us tonight." Valora pouts as she follows Leia's lead.

"Sorry. We can't tonight. Tomorrow?" Luke asks.

"We'll save you a seat." Wedge promises. The four of them exit Leia's room. They make their way to the mess hall, splitting once they enter. Valora and Wedge join a table filled with other teens their age. Leia and Luke watch, feeling like they're missing out. It's a silly feeling, but it still makes them feel a tinge of sadness. They will never quite fit in with the others because of their mother and unseen future.

They arrive at Obi-Wan's table, forcing smiles. If he notices, he doesn't say anything. He just pushes them a tray filled with sweets. "Don't let your mother know." He says with a grin.

"Your secret is safe with us," Leia says as she grabs her favorite from the pile.

"I figured that now would be a good time to practice your new skills. There are a lot of distractions, which can either aid you or be your demise." He explains, looking around the noisy mess hall. "Who were you two with this afternoon?" He asks, beginning to search their minds.

Somehow, through all of the yells and movements around her, Leia is able to quiet her mind. Just like before, she puts all of her focus on blocking out Obi-Wan. She wants to show him that she is learning and will not let him down. 

Luke begins to think of the people at the table over. Of course, none of them are people he spends his free time with. He hopes that Obi-Wan doesn't know that and falls for the bait. He will read his mind and see the strangers and think that they were with him.

After a few minutes, Obi-Wan lets out a sigh. "You two were with Valora and Wedge."

"Yeah, how'd you know?" Luke asks, surprised that Obi-Wan was able to get into either of their heads. 

Obi-Wan shrugs with a sly smile as he picks up his cup. "I saw you two walk in with them." 

Leia playfully rolls her eyes as Luke laughs with Obi-Wan. She was worried that somehow Obi-Wan had been able to read her mind. Instead, he had just gotten tired of watching them attempt to stop him and just pretend he figured it out. 

"So how did we do?" She asks with a hopeful smile.

"You two did very well. You each used a different technique, but they worked. I want you to continue practicing, of course, but you don't have to worry about anyone using mind tricks to get information out of you. I'm very proud." He says.

"Okay, but who was better?" Luke asks, making Leia groan. It's always a competition with him.

"Sorry, I'm going to have to give this one to Leia," Obi-Wan says. 

"Dang it." He grumbles. 

Throughout the rest of the meal, hope begins to fill inside of Luke and Leia. When it comes to actually battle, they don't stand much of a chance against Darth Vader. Both of them have been training since they were young, but throughout that time, Vader has been training too. He knows more moves and strategic plans.

But this new skill can stop him from figuring anything out. He will not be able to search through their minds to discover that he is their father. He won't be able to get information out of them about the rebellion or their mother unless they tell him themselves. 

They still have a lot to learn before they will feel confident against him, but now learning new skills doesn't seem so scary. More practice can only mean that they will get better. If they push themselves to perfect their forms and whatever else Obi-Wan suggests, maybe they will be a bigger threat to Vader than he has any idea.

After all, the Jedi are supposedly dead.

How could he possibly expect two kids to defeat him using lightsabers and the Force? He won't know what he's getting into when they finally make their appearance.

~~~~~~~~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next week I might be without wifi so if I don't update on Friday that's the reason. If I do miss next Friday, I will update as soon as possible and still publish the next chapter on it's Friday like usual! Thanks for all of the support I've received on this book so far, you guys are amazing!


	10. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in posting! I finally found internet to publish this chapter! Also, please excuse the grammar mistakes for the moment. I don’t have my usual program on my phone so there could be a few mistakes. I’ll fix it ASAP :)

  
Padmé brushes her hair out of her face as she looks for her communicator. She presses the button, the beeping signaling that her request has been sent. She quickly tidies her room, waiting for them to arrive at her quarters. She is so excited to share her good news.

A knock comes from the door and she calls for them to enter. Luke enters first and closes the door behind him. "Hey, Mom. You called?" He asks as he shoves his hands into his pockets. He was working on one of the ships when his communicator went off. For once, he was thankful that she wanted to see him.

"Yes, I've got some exciting news." She cheers. Overwhelmed with glee, she gives him a quick hug. "We just have to wait for our other party member to join us." She teases as she squeezes his forearms.

He chuckles, happy to see her in such a good mood. She hasn't been this way in a long time. The weight of the rebellion and the news of their father has dragged their spirits down. Seeing her looking so bubbly makes him feel giddy. Whatever she has to tell him must be exciting.

There's a knock at the door and Padmé looks around Luke. "Come in!" She calls. She gives Luke a squeal and goes to the door. "Hi, Obi-Wan." She says as she practically pulls him into the room.

"It's good to see you, Padmé. You look chipper." He smiles as she stands before him and Luke. He was expecting this to be a much more important meeting. It is not often that he is requested to be in her presence. He's not one for politics so he doesn't get involved much with the rebellion. He figured this would be about the twins, but now he has no idea what could make her this happy.

"So Luke told me a while ago that he wanted to get off of this base for a little bit. I was having some trouble finding a spot to send the two of you, but I think I found the perfect place." She begins.

"Oh, Mom, you don't have to anymore. I'm fine with staying here and training with Obi-Wan. Plus, the ships need a lot of maintenance after that last battle." Luke says as he runs his hands through his hair. It's not that he doesn't want to leave, but he doesn't really trust himself. Now doesn't seem like a good time to be leaving the base and going to new planets.

"Oh, nonsense, Luke. There are plenty of people on base who can do that. Besides, you need a break. I think that this trip will be a good thing for both of you. You two can go out there and train on new planets and do whatever guys do. You know, go and blow things up. Dodge bullets." She rambles. She imitates the sound of a lightsaber and pretends to have bullets bounce off it. She then makes an explosion and uses her hands to show the imaginary clouds forming.

"Mom, we don't do that." Luke laughs as a blush comes to his cheeks. His mother can be embarrassing sometimes.

"Come on. It'll be fun." She says, playfully pushing him.

"I think it sounds like a good idea, Padmé." Obi-Wan chuckles. He thinks that Luke needs a break as well. He has been working nonstop and needs some time to be his age. He needs to be reckless and screw around sometimes to blow off steam. Everything doesn't have to be serious all of the time. Though Obi-Wan was never that way, it's one thing that he has learned to allow from his years of teaching.

Skywalkers need time to blow things up.

Luke lets out a sigh. He doesn't want to go, but his mother plasters on a pout. "Please? For me?" She begs.

Luke playfully groans and rolls his eyes. "Fine. Where are we going?" He laughs. Maybe things won't be so bad. He is more skilled with his lightsaber now and Obi-Wan has lightened up on him over the years. There's a chance that they will get into more dangerous situations that will involve explosions and bullet dodging. It could be exciting.

"That's the spirit!" Padmé cheers. "So, I found a mission to Tatooine."

"Ugh, Tatooine?"

"Why? What's wrong with Tatooine?"

Obi-Wan shrugs his shoulder. "It's hot, in the middle of nowhere, and it's run by the Hutts."

"So? That doesn't mean it won't be fun."

"Fun is the last word I would use to describe that planet." Luke counters.

Obi-Wan chuckles, a smirk on his face as he side-eyes Luke. "Well, it does have some of the galaxy's worst scum on it. People trying to hide from the Empire. Bounty hunters searching for people to turn in for credits. It could be fun."

Luke awes, liking the idea.

"Though I don't agree with the idea of that being fun, it's true. It is a planet full of outlaws." Padmé says. Luke and Obi-Wan share a smile, both silently agreeing that it sounds like a great idea of fun. "Anyway, the reason I am sending you here is to find Vega Hinchcliff. They were the last person Tarkin had under his command. They could prove to be valuable for us."

"They managed to escape the Empire?" Luke asks, taking the datapad from her hands.

"From what we've been told. And if our source is correct, then we won't have much time to find her before the Empire does. It's already pretty well known that she's managed to make it to Tatooine. Stormtroopers have probably been ordered to search for her." Padmé explains.

"Then we better get a move on," Obi-Wan says. He gives Padmé a gentle bow as a goodbye then makes his way to the door.

"Bye! Have fun. Stay safe. Listen to Obi-Wan." Padmé rambles as she brings Luke in for another hug.

"I know, I know." He laughs as she tussles his sandy hair.

"And Obi-Wan," She calls out. He turns around, the door already open. "Bring my kid back in one piece. If he even has a scratch on him, don't bother returning."

"Don't worry, I'll just hide in the Tatooine desert until you've forgotten all about me. I'll become a crazy old hermit." He jokes, making her smile. Though their tones sound playful, there's a seriousness to her command. She is placing her child's life into his hands. He better not screw it up. "Luke will just have to fly himself home."

Her eyes widen. "I hope not. He doesn't have enough hours to fly yet."

Obi-Wan smiles. "I won't let him anywhere near the controls."

And on that note, the two of them head off to the hangar bay. Luke is pretty excited but is also nervous about this. The last time they went to Tatooine it ended with Luke getting scolded. Sure, he messed up and has learned his lesson, but he can't help worrying that he'll mess up again. He doesn't want to put himself or Obi-Wan in danger again.

"You're nervous," Obi-Wan notes with a smirk.

Luke feels his cheeks heat. "Kind of."

"Relax. Don't center on your anxieties, Luke. Keep your concentration here and now, where it belongs." Obi-Wan says. He thinks of the time when he was told that very same advice by his master. How different times are now than when he was a padawan.

Luke nods his head. Obi-Wan is right. He can't let himself worry about what might happen. He should focus on the present. If he thinks about how he might mess up, then he might mess up a different way. Bad thoughts can lead to bad results.

Just before they enter the ship, R2 comes rolling over to their sides. They happily invite him to join them on their trip. When they get to the cockpit, Obi-Wan sits in the passenger seat. Luke arches his eyebrow. What is he doing? "Uncle Ben," He begins, knowing that there are people nearby who could overhear them. "What are you doing? I thought you were going to pilot."

"Oh no. I hate flying." He says, shaking his head. "Flying is for droids. You take over."

Luke is taken back. "But I don't have enough hours."

Obi-Wan waves the thought away. "I've seen you fly before. You do a great job. I think we can let it slide this time."

Luke grins, taking the pilot's seat. This trip is just getting better and better. Not only is he getting away from the base, but he gets to fly the ship too. Though they have a mission to focus on, he's eager to spend more time with Obi-Wan without the worry of others interrupting them or the pressure of improving his skills.

_xxx_

Soon the planet comes into view. Luke relaxes, happy that he flew all the way there without any problems. Obi-Wan had fallen asleep about halfway through the trip. Rather than wake him, Luke let him sleep and spent the rest of the trip talking with R2.

Obi-Wan stirs, waking up as they enter the planet's atmosphere. "Here already?" He asks with a groan.

"Yupp. Enjoy your nap?"

"You shouldn't laugh at your elders." Obi-Wan plays along with a smirk. "Besides, you should take my nap as a compliment. It shows that I trust you to fly me without having to watch you the entire time."

The three of them exit the ship, parking just outside of Mos Eisley. They thought it was best not to attract attention to them right from the start. Luke and Obi-Wan have their hoods pulled over their heads to protect them from the blowing sand and burning suns in the sky. "Just like I remember it. Hot and sandy." Luke says.

"I think it's gotten hotter since the first time I landed here." Obi-Wan replies.

"When was that?" Luke asks, tilting his head. He loves hearing stories from Obi-Wan's past. He has always been a great teller and Luke is always fascinated with the perils his master went through. It's also enjoyable to imagine him much younger and more agile, fighting alongside his father and other Jedi.

"The first time I was here was when we found your father."

"But I thought that your master found him? Master. . . Quinn?" Luke stutters, furrowing his eyebrows in thought. He knows that name isn't right, but there's just so many names to remember. There are so many masters that he's learned that it's hard to keep them straight.

"Master Qui-Gon Jinn was the one to find your father, correct." Obi-Wan nods with a soft laugh. "I was left with the ship and a few of your mother's handmaidens and guards. Qui-Gon left to go and find parts to fix our damaged ship. I'm sure Artoo remembers, right?" He smiles at the blue droid.

R2 buzzes back, making Luke laugh. "He says he remembers. Your hair was long."

"I was a padawan. I had a braid, but the rest of my hair was short. Besides, I seem to remember he had some carbon scoring on him so he wasn't in his best shape either."

R2 blows a raspberry, making them chuckle. Soon, they enter the bustling spaceport. There are people from so many different species and planets that Luke is constantly looking around at them rather than where they are headed.

"Keep focused, Luke." Obi-Wan reminds as he guides them into the cantina.

R2 tries to follow them inside but is immediately shouted at. No droids are allowed inside. Their kind is not welcome. He beeps a protest, promising to be respectful for once. Though Luke knows that R2 would cause no trouble, he turns and looks at the little astromech. "It's alright, Artoo. Just wait outside and contact us if you spot her."

With a defeated chirp, he rolls back onto the busy streets.

Luke quickly walks to Obi-Wan's side at the bar. He removes his hood from his head, watching him order a drink from the bar. How can he drink when they're supposed to be looking for someone?

"Look around the rest of the cantina," Obi-Wan says, noticing Luke's confusion. "Subtly listen in on people's conversations. You never know how you might catch wind of her. I'll do the same here."

Luke gives a nod, leaving his master's side. He feels a bit awkward as he stumbles around the dark cantina. He can feel everyone's eyes on him. He knows that he sticks out like a sore thumb. He's probably the youngest one here. And though he doesn't want to admit it, he knows that Leia and Valora are right about him looking innocent. It makes him an easy target to be picked on. It's happened on multiple occasions, but he's always had Obi-Wan within arm's reach to protect him.

Yes, he's just across the bar, but Luke feels like he is on his own right now.

He must defend himself if someone approaches him.

So he forces down his fear of failure and being attacked and uses his senses to find information about Vega Hinchcliff. He takes a seat in a booth just behind a group of what he assumes are bounty hunters. He believes that they'll be his best bet at receiving any clues.

He closes his eyes, listening to them. They're speaking in hushed voices about him. Normally, his insecurities would make him block them out. He's only starting to accept that not everyone will like him even if they've never met him. His mother says that he's, unfortunately, someone who feels hurt at the thought of anyone saying anything negative about him. And she's right. Leia can take it like it's nothing. She doesn't care what anyone thinks or says about her.

But is it such a bad thing to want everyone to like him? Is it wrong to want to show everyone that he is a good person?

He shakes his head. Now is not the time to debate about it. That can wait until he's on his way back to base in the safety of Obi-Wan and R2.

"I'm surprised they let the kid in." A woman says. "This isn't a babysitting service."

"I'm sure he won't cause any harm." A robotic voice replies. Whoever they are, they want to keep even their voice disguised. "He probably doesn't even know how to shoot a blaster."

Luke scrunches his nose. Of course, he knows how to shoot a blaster. He was trained at a young age, long before he even got his own lightsaber. A blaster is an uncivilized weapon, but he can go slinging that around without many consequences. A lightsaber, on the other hand, can lead to many unwanted events.

"He's probably trying to earn a way into the bounty hunting businesses. If he gets this Vega chick, he'll have lots of eyes on him. She's high on the wanted list. The Empire is offering a lot of credits for her to be brought in alive." A man says. Luke can sense him placing his blaster onto the table. "She's worth a lot dead too. He probably thinks this is his chance."

"He doesn't stand much of a chance. Everyone and their eopie are out looking for her." The woman scoffs. "Which we should be too, by the way."

"We don't even have much to go off of." The man argues. "She was seen in Mos Eisley two days ago. She could be dead in the Jundland wastes for all we know."

"She's not dead." The robotic voice says. "She's close by. I've heard sources that she's in Mos Espa."

"Then why aren't we there right now?" The woman asks. Luke can feel her anger and confusion. It takes a good part of his training to not feel it himself. She must really want Vega for whatever reason. Money or possibly revenge.

"We will." The robotic voice says. Luke hears their chairs scrap out from under the table. "I wanted to let the others find her then scoop in and catch her off guard. Let's go."

The three of them exit the cantina. Luke watches to make sure that they're gone before he goes back to Obi-Wan. He stands beside him, his elbows on the bar as Obi-Wan sips his drink. "I'm guessing you've discovered something."

"I overheard that she's in Mos Espa," Luke replies. He scrunches his face, tossing the idea around in his head. Something doesn't feel quite right though.

Obi-Wan smiles, looking over at him. "But?"

Luke sighs as he shakes his head. "I don't think she's there. I think the bounty hunters knew I was listening in and were trying to throw me off. I think she's still in Mos Eisley."

"What makes you say that?"

"Because why would they still be here? They gave some lame excuse, but I don't believe it. She must still be here." He insists. Something inside of him is telling him she's here. He's not sure what it is, possibly the Force or just intuition.

"So, not much more to go off of then." Obi-Wan sighs as he tugs on his beard.

"No. But maybe Artoo overheard or saw something. After all, people underestimate droids a lot." Luke says. He's hopeful that someone in their mission group has picked up something. If not, then they'll just have to cover all of Mos Eisley looking for Vega.

"Very well. Let's go see how our little friend is doing." Obi-Wan nods before finishing his drink. He leaves some credits on the counter then exits with Luke.

The bright suns blind them for a moment. As they adjust to the light, R2 blips happily. He nudges Luke's leg, trying to get his attention. He bends to the ground, patting the astromech's dome. "What is it, Artoo?"

The droid eagerly chirps and beeps. Obi-Wan has forgotten a lot of binary of the years, but he knows that what R2 has to say must be helpful or at least exciting.

"Way to go!" Luke cheers, rubbing R2's dome. He stands and turns to Obi-Wan. "He says that he saw a woman in dark robes rushing off that way. He added that stormtroopers were on her trail. It must be Vega."

"Then we better get there before the troopers," Obi-Wan says. He looks down at the blue astromech. "Led the way, Artoo."

With their hoods pulled over their heads, the two of them follow behind R2. He leads them through the crowds, weaving between people to help keep them undercover. By getting lost in the crowd, it'll be hard to follow them or keep a close eye. If anyone is asked about them, it'll be hard to describe where they went.

Eventually, they see the crowd of stormtroopers. They are checking each and every stall, searching for Vega. Luke wants to join in to look for a ship that she might stow away in. But as he makes his way to the first stall, he feels a pull.

He turns, making eye contact with Obi-Wan. "She's not in any of these stalls."

"Where is the Force telling you to go?"

Luke narrows his eyes, trying to figure it out. "I think she's in one of the apartments above the shops." He says. He begins to walk back out into the busy street. "She's nearby, that's for sure."

Obi-Wan nods. He looks around, trying to decide where to look first. He gestures to a little mechanic shop tucked in the corner. "I suggest there first."

Luke agrees and follows him to the shop. The shop is not very big. There is an area in the back filled numerous parts and equipment. Though it might not look like much, it's the perfect place for people who want to lay low. He remains quiet, letting Obi-Wan take the lead as he scans the area. "Hello there." He says. R2 beeps beside him, trying to blend in.

The shop owner looks up from his work and lets out a sigh. "What do you want?" He asks as he wipes his hands on a dirty cloth. 

"Our droid is in need of cleaning. Is there any way that you could help us?" Obi-Wan asks. R2 lets out a protest, offended. He thinks he looks just fine. He doesn't need any cleaning. If anyone is in need of cleaning, it's Luke.

"Look, mister. I don't clean droids. I just fix them." He scoffs. He shakes his head, going back to work.

Obi-Wan nudges Luke. Clearly polite conversation isn't going to get them anywhere. Luke steps forward, bringing up his hand. "You will clean our droid." He says, waving his hand like he was taught.

"Excuse me?" The owner asks.

"Try again. You're almost there." Obi-Wan quietly encourages.

"You will clean our droid," Luke repeats. Luke could almost see a twinkle pass over the man's eyes. 

"I will clean your droid." He says. Luke has to hold back a cheer. He's been trying to perfect his mind trick for a while now so he's excited that it worked on the second try today. He calms himself and brings up his hand again.

"And you want us to go upstairs to wait," Luke adds, knowing that they'll need a good look inside of the place before they can rule it out. Vega could be anywhere in the messy shop.

"And I want you to go upstairs to wait." He says. He makes his way to R2, who gives a sigh. As much as he doesn't want to go with this stranger, he knows that he has to if they want to complete their mission. 

"Have fun, Artoo." Obi-Wan smirks as he and Luke head to the stairs at the back of the shop. They decide to check upstairs first, then work their way down. They walk up the spiral steps, preparing themselves for what they might find.

When they enter, they see a small apartment. There's a little kitchen, a small bed in the corner, and a few pieces of furniture scattered around the room. Again, it isn't much. The owner of the shop must not make a lot of money.

"Hello?" Luke softly calls out. The two of them remove their hoods and close the door behind them. Now if someone leaves, they'll hear the door open and close.

"Turn around and leave now." Someone commands. Luke and Obi-Wan raise their hands to show that they mean no harm. They step farther into the room and look for the stranger. They need to be careful.

Obi-Wan feels a blaster pressed to the side of his head. He freezes, holding his breath. "Move one more step and I'll blast you right here." She says, her voice cold and hard.

Luke's eyes widen. He's about to grab his lightsaber to scare her, but Obi-Wan raises his hand, signally for Luke to stop. Now is not the time. His lightsaber should be a last resort, especially when dealing with someone like Vega.

"You must be Vega Hinchcliff," Obi-Wan says, side-eyeing her. 

"And you're about to be dead." She spits.

"No. We're not here to hurt you. We're here to help you." Luke says, reaching out to her. He's afraid that she will carry out her wish of killing them. After all, she was working with Tarkin in the Empire. What's stopping her from killing them?

"Help me?" She scoffs. Her blaster drops slightly, no longer against Obi-Wan's head. "I don't know you. For all I know, the Empire hired you to kill me."

"We're with the rebellion," Luke says.

"The rebellion?" She asks her dark eyebrows furrowing in thought. She seems to think it through for a second before asking, "What do they want with me? Do they want to torture me for being with Tarkin?"

"No. We just want information." Obi-Wan answers. She puts her blaster in its holster and laughs.

"Oh, that's a good one. I've heard what the rebellion does to former Empire leaders. There's no way I'm going to believe anything you say." She says as she crosses her arms over her chest. Now that she's let her guard down, Luke finally gets a good look at her.

She's not that old. She can't be older than 40. She has long, dark straight hair. Her eyes are a deep brown and her skin is olive. She has a few wrinkles present between her eyebrows, probably from stress.

Before Luke and Obi-Wan can try to prove their case, blaster fire shakes the room. All three of them dive to the floor for safety. They crawl to the one window and peek outside. Surprisingly, it's not who they expected.

"Stormtroopers? How do they know that we're here?" Luke asks. It makes no sense to him. He and Obi-Wan were both careful to cover their tracks. Plus, stormtroopers are known for being a little slow. They're always one step behind, missing most of the action.

"Thanks for bringing the party to me. Now I have to deal with you two and bad shot troopers." Vega groans as she tosses her head back.

More shots are fired at them. When they die down, Luke peeks around Obi-Wan to look at her. "Look, you can either come with us or with them."

"Neither one is an option for me, kid." She replies back. She grabs a few belongings from the ground, tucking them on her body. 

"You can't seriously think you're going to survive those stormtroopers out there?" Obi-Wan asks. There's so many down there that he almost thought he was going cross-eyed. There's no way she'll survive.

"Well, I'm not just going to sit up here and wait for them. I have to take what I can get." She answers. She knows that her chances of surviving this are slim, but she has no other choice. She has to take what she can get and make it work.

"We can all make it out of here together if you just stay with us," Luke says, hoping to knock some sense into her. He knows that it must seem crazy to trust strangers, but they only want to help. They want to keep her safe from the Empire and use her knowledge to save the galaxy.

"And join some other hopeless cause? Don't you see that the rebellion and the Empire are basically the same thing? They both just want to control the galaxy." 

"The rebellion is a democracy where people are allowed to voice their opinions. The Empire is catered to one person and his ideas. They aren't the same." Luke argues, feeling his cheeks heat up. How could she think that about the rebellion? They are nothing alike. The Empire is evil and what they are doing is good.

"News flash, kid. The last democracy was filled with corrupt leaders who only cared about themselves. Eventually, the same thing will happen with the rebellion when it takes control." She snaps. She stands up and loads her blaster. "And I want no part of that."

Before Luke or Obi-Wan can say anything to change her mind, she hops out the window and climbs to the roof. They listen to her footsteps pounding above them, blaster fire aimed her way relentlessly. Just when Luke thinks that she might actually make it, a loud thump echoes.

Chatter from the stormtroopers below confirms that she's been hit. Luke feels his heart sink. If only he could have done more to save her. She would have been taken care of in the rebellion. They would have let her voice her concerns and opinions.

Obi-Wan touches Luke's shoulder, getting his attention. "It's time to go. Let's grab Artoo and head back to the ship before those stormtroopers question us."

Luke nods his head and the two of them sneak back downstairs. Stormtroopers are in the shop, questioning the owner about his connection with Vega. As they're distracted with him, R2 rolls away quietly and into the streets.

The three of them meet up a block away from the shooting and head back to the ship. Luke takes the pilot seat and Obi-Wan takes his seat as a passenger. R2 makes sure everything is good on the ship and they take off.

It's relatively quiet on the ride back. Luke feels upset about how things turned out today. He is questioning if he could have prevented what happened. Obi-Wan can feel his disappointment through the Force. Before, he would have let Anakin dwell on it and only bring it up if he felt like it. Now, he knows that he has to say something. He turns and looks at Luke. "We may not have gotten Vega, but you did a very good job today."

"How?" Luke asks, sinking in his seat. "I didn't get Vega to come back with us. She got killed and taken by stormtroopers."

"There was no guarantee that she would come with us." Obi-Wan replies. Luke's eyes drop to the floor. Obi-Wan is right, but it doesn't make him feel better. "But you did a good job finding her. You listened to the Force. You used your resources. I'm very proud of how you did today."

Thinking about it, a smile makes its way onto Luke's face. "It was pretty cool how I knew she wasn't in those stalls." He admits. He perks up, his eyes meeting Obi-Wan's. "And my mind trick worked on the second try."

"Your mother will be very proud of how you handled yourself today. I know she'll want to hear all about it." He smiles. "You may not have successfully completed the mission, but you did impress me with your skills today. And that is a very big accomplishment."

"Thank you, Uncle Obi," Luke grins. The rest of the trip is filled with laughter and excitement. Luke can't wait to retell his missions to his friends back home. He also can't wait to tell Leia and his mother about all of the things he did today without Obi-Wan's help.

Today wasn't a success, that's for sure. But he did find something in himself he had been lacking for a while. Confidence in himself to carry out missions.

~~~~~~~~~~~


	11. Chapter 10

  
Padmé rubs her temples, her eyes pinched shut. She is starting to get a headache from all of this talking. It's not like it isn't important, but they've gone over it almost a hundred times. She has other things to worry about besides the rebellion at the moment.

But instead of throwing them out, she stays quiet. The other rebel leaders are allowed a say, especially in a time like this. Bail Organa is one of the few who are still attending Imperial meetings without any suspicion. He is their eyes and ears about what they plan to do and when. Of course, there's only so much he's told considering he isn't very close with anyone high in command. But they will take what they get.

"Padmé, did we ever find Vega Hinchcliff?" Mon Mothma asks, her voice somehow piercing through Padmé's thoughts.

She lets out a sigh, resting her hands in her lap. "Unfortunately, she was killed by stormtroopers before my men could reach her."

Mon Mothma nods then turns her attention over to Bail, who has taken over this meeting. Padmé has made it evident that she's no longer interested or isn't feeling well. Either way, Mon Mothma agrees with her. It's time for them to take a break. They've been at this for hours with little to no progress.

Bail clears his throat and looks around the room. "I think we should be done for the day." He says. Smiles begin to appear in the room. Everyone is tired from the long hours they've been putting in recently. "I would like to end our meeting on one good note. Leia was able to drop off the supplies in Lothal without any trouble."

"So it worked?" Someone asks. "Our plan of having them 'steal' the supplies is a success?"

"So far." Bail nods. "But we shouldn't perform this too often. I'm afraid that it will become very obvious to the Empire if it starts to happen frequently. We will keep this idea in the works though." He adds a few more things, but everyone has stopped listening. Their thoughts have drifted to food, sleep, and anything not involving the rebellion.

He lets them leave, knowing their attention has long been gone. Gradually, they file out one after the other. Mon Mothma speaks a few words to Padmé then follows the others out the door, leaving Bail and her alone. He sits down beside her, his body gently twisted toward her.

Padmé lets out a long sigh, pulling back her hair with a tired smile. "Something you need to say to me?" She asks.

"Leia isn't quite herself. On our last trip, she was much quieter than usual. She looked ill as well." He begins, trying to find the right words. Though the mission was a success, Leia's mood didn't show it. He is worried that something has happened to make her upset. "I guess I'm wondering if she has brought this up to you. I just want to make sure that she's safe and well." 

"She has not told me this, but I'm sure she's going through a lot of things," Padmé replies. She knows that Leia is doing this because she wants to put the rebellion before herself. She's proud that her daughter understands what's at stake, but she should take some time for herself. The news of her father is not something to be taken lightly or brushed aside.

"I'm worried that it involves her latest mission. I don't want to push her into doing things she's not comfortable with if that's what's bothering her." Bail adds. He feels guilty for making her feel this way. She shouldn't feel like she has to do anything. She is allowed to voice her concerns to him, especially involving diplomatic missions. After the last one involving a shoot out, he wants her to feel safe by choosing the situations she gets into. She doesn't have to risk her life if she doesn't want to. 

Padmé shakes her head and gives a sad smile. "It's not the mission." She softly says, making Bail arch his eyebrow. She reaches out and holds his hand. "I think it's best that you go and talk to her. I'm sure you're one of the few people she will actually be honest with about her feelings."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I think it'll make her feel much better." She nods. Padmé knows how important Bail is in Leia's life. She understands how close they are and why Leia would talk about her feelings with him over her. Though Bail isn't her biological father, he's taken that position in Leia's life and Padmé is grateful for that. If he goes and talks with her, Padmé knows that Leia will speak honestly with him and hopefully resolve whatever inner conflicts she might be having right now involving herself, her future, and her family.

A shadow of a figure stands in the doorway, interrupting their conversation. Padmé turns and gives a smile when she sees who it is. "Ben. Thank you for coming on such short notice."

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything important." He says as he enters. He tucks his arms into his robe sleeves and comes into the light. He gives a nod of greeting to Bail and stands beside Padmé.

"No, no. We were just finishing up." Bail says as he rises to his feet and gestures for Obi-Wan to take his seat. Bail and Obi-Wan have always gotten along and are good friends, but they don't usually have time to socialize with each other. One of them is always off with one or both of the twins or doing something involving the rebellion. "I must be heading out. I would like to talk with Leia before I head back to Alderaan."

"We'll hear from you soon. Take care, Bail." Padmé says.

"May the Force be with you." Obi-Wan nods. Bail gives them a smile and leaves, making sure to close the door behind him.

Once he's gone, Padmé begins to turn off the communication devices in the meeting room. "I'm glad you're here. There are lots of things I need to discuss with you." She says, her hands flying over the screens faster than an X-Wing taking off into hyperspace.

"I think I know what it involves." Obi-Wan slowly says. He is hoping that they are talking about the same thing. Nothing with the rebellion. Nothing with rations on other planets. Nothing about him.

This conversation should be about the twins, Anakin, and Padmé. Nothing else. It should be all about how the twins are taking it, how Padmé is taking it, and what they are going to do to move forward. This treading in unknown waters is not making it easy for anyone. If they start a plan now, they can have a chance of keeping things moving in the right direction.

Padmé doesn't respond to Obi-Wan right away, only biting on her lower lip. She doesn't want to have this conversation. All of it just seems so soon. The twins weren't supposed to know until after the rebellion to keep them safe and protect their feelings about their father. Unfortunately, their innocence was crumbled before her eyes and she couldn't do anything to stop it.

She feels ripped from the chance of telling them the truth. Guilt washes over her constantly for the way that they found out. She should have been the one to tell them and now she's afraid that she's caused a rift between her and her children. She's afraid that they've lost their trust in her now that they know she's been hiding this secret from them their entire lives.

But rather than say any of this, she nods her head. "Yes." She finally replies. She stops what she's doing and looks at Obi-Wan with a defeated sigh. "I just don't know what to say about it."

"Well, how do you think the twins are? Have you talked to them recently?" He asks. He's spent the past few days with Luke, so he does have a general idea of how he's taking things. He's spent some time with both of them training but hasn't talked to Leia since his and Luke's return. He doesn't really know how she's doing, considering she's always had an amazing poker face when it comes to her emotions.

Padmé takes a deep breath, folding her hands in her lap. She's glad that he's here to steer the conversation. She has a few topics that she wants to talk with him about but isn't quite sure how or when to bring them up. After he's voiced all of his concerns, she can bring up hers at the end.

She thinks back on the past two weeks. "I saw Leia when she returned from Lothal and Luke when you landed. I've had a few conversations with them about the subject, but I didn't want to push anything. They've mostly seemed like they've wanted to be alone. We are planning to have a family break tomorrow and talk about everything on our minds."

"That will be nice for the three of you. Even if nothing gets resolved, it's nice to have a break as a family from all of this rebellion work." Obi-Wan softly smiles, gesturing to all of the stuff in the room. "You've been quite busy lately."

Padmé lightly chuckles. "Yes. Things have been pretty hectic the last few weeks. I haven't been able to be with them as much I would like. I'm sure they don't mind too much though. Teenagers always act like they're too cool to be seen with their mom in public."

"Trust me, it's not just their mother they don't want to be seen with. It's any authority figure. For some reason, they become embarrassed by us at that age." Obi-Wan laughs, nodding his head. The twins are the same way Anakin was at one time. When they get to a certain age range, for some reason they hate going out in public with whoever their guardians are. He's learned not to take it personally. Anakin grew out of it and the twins are starting too as well. It's just a part of life.

Wanting to bring it back to their main concern, he leans in closer to her. "How do you feel, Padmé? Are you alright?" He softly asks.

Padmé takes a shaky breath, taking her time to find the right words. "I didn't want them to know," She quietly confesses. Her bottom lip trembles as her emotions get the better of her. "I wanted them to think of their father as this kind, loving man. I wanted them to be proud that their father was Anakin Skywalker. He was a funny, determined, and brave man."

She swallows hard and bows her head to hide her face. She can feel the pressure building behind her eyes and she knows that if she makes eye contact with Obi-Wan she will burst. "But now they will only think of him as someone filled with unimaginable hate and anger. They are going to be ashamed to say that he is their father. How can they ever recover from this?"

Obi-Wan frowns, slightly tipping his head down. "I know that this isn't exactly what we had in mind, but they were going to find out one day. Doesn't it make you feel a tad bit better that they finally know? That we no longer have to keep this secret from them?"

Padmé stutters, working it out in her head. "I know that I should say yes, but I don't honestly know if I do feel better. I'm sure you think I'm stupid for trying to hide this from them, but I'm not sure I even wanted them to know. They admired him so much and now they clearly feel revolted with themselves."

"I understand what you mean." He says, thinking about Luke and Leia the day they uncovered the truth. The pain and utter dread on their faces will forever haunt him. They were disgusted in him for hiding this from them. They were appalled to know who their father had become. He swallows back his pain and goes back to comforting Padmé. "But we couldn't keep this hidden from them forever. One way or another, they were going to find out who their father is."

"I know." She sighs, her shoulders sagging. She shakes her head and pinches the bridge of her nose. He's right, of course, but she wishes he wasn't. If only they could understand that Anakin wasn't like he is now. Then they wouldn't hate themselves so much. "I know."

"I know it's not what we planned, but we have to move forward from this," Obi-Wan says, placing his hand on her back.

She lifts her head, her brown eyes meeting his blue ones. In the darkened room, he looks like the Jedi she knew from the Republic. His aged features have seemed to disappear and she feels like the young girl traveling with him and Qui-Gon to save her people. "I'm not quite sure how to move forward." She says. "I have ideas, yes, but I don't want to hurt my children like that again."

"There's no path that can guarantee that, Padmé." He says with a gentle shake of his head. "I don't want to see them hurt again either, but it's a risk we have to face."

She nods her head and begins to sit upright more. Just like back on Naboo, she had to risk the safety of her people in order to save them. Everything had turned out alright back then, so why couldn't that happen now? In order to receive positive results, she must maintain a positive attitude. "Okay. Because they know about their father, I think we should train them more in case they get into Imperial hands. Their innocence about him is no longer enough to save them. They need to know how to protect themselves and how to escape quickly."

"I agree. I have already started to change up their lessons. There's only so much I can teach Leia, unfortunately, considering she can't carry her lightsaber with her. I advise getting her more lessons personally with Bail and his crew. They can teach her about cruisers she might be on and how to hack into them."

"Yes, I like that." She says. She takes out her datapad and begins to write some notes. She wants to be able to remember everything they've discussed today. Later tonight, when she's in a different frame of mind, she will go back and read over everything and see if she can make improvements. New ideas tend to hit her just before she falls asleep at night.

"I also think that we should include them in more rebellion work," Obi-Wan cautiously adds.

Padmé furrows her eyebrows, glancing up from her datapad. She finishes typing as she wonders if she heard him correctly. "You want the twins in more missions?"

He nods his head. "They've improved greatly just over the last few years. Leia had great success on Lothal, handling the threat of death well. And Luke surprised me on Tatooine. His skills have come a long way and he's a very quick thinker. I think it's time to put them to good use."

"I thought we didn't want them on any missions without you or Bail nearby until the time is right." She says, a flash of anger crossing her normally gentle face. "But now because they know about their father you want to send them off on dangerous missions?"

"That's not what I meant, Padmé." He says, his voice softening. He can sense anger and betrayal growing inside of her. "Bail and I will be nearby, of course, but we need to give them a chance to practice what they've learned with real people. I am no longer enough for their training."

"I don't want them putting their lives at risk, Obi-Wan." She scoffs. "I know the Jedi had no problem taking fifteen-year-olds and sending off to fight in wars, but I'm not doing that to my children."

"I know you have the final say over them, but please hear me out." He says. Upon hearing that he would accept whatever she wanted, her posture loosens. It couldn't hurt to hear his idea. "You've seen the extreme lengths they'll go to now to get information. They broke into your room just to hear about rebellion matters."

"That's exactly why I should take away their mission privileges." She light-heartedly mumbles.

"By setting them up with more missions and giving them more information with the rebellion, you can be in charge of where they go and who they go with. We won't run the risk of them sneaking off to go help their friends or listening in on important meetings." He says, hoping to show her his point. "Plus, they'll probably take this change as a sign that you trust them."

She pauses, taking it in. "As much as I don't want to admit it, you're right." She says, rubbing her temples. "I'll send them on more missions, but I want to guarantee that you or Bail are with them. I don't want something to happen to them."

"Nor do I." He quickly says. "If I didn't believe in their skills, I wouldn't have even asked."

She looks down at her hands. The idea of sending them somewhere she can't protect them scares her. He is out there, looming in the shadows, waiting to pounce. If they were to be captured, she doesn't know what she would do. There's hardly anything she can do if it happens but hope that there is some light still locked inside his once loving heart. She pushes these concerns down, not wanting to bring them to light quite yet. Instead, she gives a soft chuckle. "It's crazy how old they are now, huh?"

"Feels like just the other day they were learning how to walk." He agrees, tugging on his beard in thought.

"Every time I see Luke I'm sure he's grown another inch. And Leia has so much spunk now that's it's hard to imagine her as a shy toddler." Padmé grins. Obi-Wan reaches out, holding her hand and she thinks of the first time they meet and how they've been involved in each other's lives since. Though they're nothing more than friends, and never will be more than that, it's crazy how much they've each affected each other. He's saved her life multiple times and she's done the same for him. They never verbally agreed to it, but it's clear that they consider themselves indefinitely equal.

Suddenly, she feels like she needs to express her gratitude. She is afraid that he doesn't know how much she relies on him for moments like this. He's given her words of wisdom in times when she's felt lost. He's cared for the twins like they're his own when he could have walked away without a second thought. He's stayed to make sure she and her family are safe and happy. She pulls him in for a tight hug. "Thank you, Obi-Wan. For this talk. For being here for me and the kids. For everything."

"I haven't done anything." He replies, gently patting her back. Then he whispers so quietly that Padmé almost misses it. "If we're being honest, I owe you so much more after everything I've done." She knows that he's referring to Anakin and the outcome of his downfall, but she chooses to ignore it. After years of trying to convince him it wasn't his fault, his mind still hasn't been changed.

_xxx_

Darth Vader stares out into the void of space. After living with it for the past fifteen years, his heavy, mechanical breathing isn't even noticeable to him. It blends into the background noise from the ship and its crew.

One of the officers marches to his side, his head held high. Underneath his mask, Vader smirks. He can feel the fear bleeding out of the man. Though he looks confident, his heart is pounding erratically in his chest. Sparking terror into all who meet him is one of the few perks of being this painful machine.

"Lord Vader, we've just received news about Lothal." The officer says. He stares at the wall just past the dark being. He's afraid that if he looks into the deep red glass over his eyes that he'll lose his confidence and stumble over his words. He can not mess up in front of Lord Vader. He could lose a lot more than his job for such mistakes.

"What happened on Lothal?" Darth Vader asks, his deep voice almost shaking the room.

The officer gulps, keeping his eyes just beyond Vader. "Senator Organa was supposed to drop off supplies to our troops located there. Unfortunately, the supplies were stolen by a rebel group, sir."

Rebel group. Of course, their troops were outsmarted by some rebel group. It's almost comical at this point how often it occurs. "How did this happen?" He asks as he tilts his head down to look at the officer.

He wants him to look him in the eyes. He wants to see the pure terror on the replaceable man's face.

Feeling Vader studying his face, the man moves his head to look into the soulless eyes. All he sees is himself trembling in the reflection of the red glass. He looks so cowardly compared to the beast standing in front of him. "I don't know, sir." He answers, his voice beginning to shake. "All we know is that Bail Organa's daughter was the one dropping off the supplies, sir. She was shot at in the process, sir. She was thankfully not injured. "

Bail Organa has a daughter? Vader knows Bail from another life in another galaxy. Though his path has changed since then, he still has great respect for the man. He hears about Bail often but has never taken the time to follow up on his life after the transfer from the Republic to the Empire. "He entrusted his daughter to carry out this mission?"

"Yes, sir."

"Who is she?" Vader demands. They placed their trust in a young girl? She can't be very old. Back when he was still close to the Senator, Bail never had any children.

"Leia Organa, sir." He replies, tightening his muscles to keep his arms from shaking.

Something jabs at him. A jolt from his past life flashes before him. "I want to know about this Leia Organa and what happened on Lothal. I need to know everything." He shouts, pointing at the officer.

"Yes, sir. Right away, sir." The officer quickly says. He salutes Darth Vader then bolts out of the room, leaving him alone.

Vader looks back into the void of space.

Leia.

It echoes in head over and over. He thinks of another time, back on a different Coruasuant. He didn't need this suit to breathe and he still had all of his limbs. Well, besides his right hand. Though the Clone Wars were raging on, he was at peace with his love. He pressed his hand against her stomach, feeling the baby moving inside.

He was so certain it was a girl. A little girl with her mother's brown eyes and a button nose. A little girl whose footsteps were supposed to echo in their small house tucked away in the countryside of Naboo. She would take after her mother and he would encourage her every step of the way.

He can remember that day so clearly, the feel of her against his hand, but it doesn't seem real. It's hazy in his mind, like a dream he wishes he could repeat.

Could that really have been the last time he held Padmé in his arms? Was that only a few days before their baby was killed from his anger?

He tightens his fists and clenches his jaw, fighting off the emotions growing in his chest, the pain pounding in his cold heart. No. He can not think of that day. He can no longer dwell on the life he had before he sold his soul to save Padmé.

~~~~~~~~~


	12. Chapter 11

PART 3: ENCOUNTER

A FEW YEARS LATER

Everything on base is in scrambles. There's a constant breeze from everyone moving in every which direction. Something or someone has sent this place into a frenzy. Though it's normal for there to be a rush in everyone's step, this is different. This is urgent and important.

But the twins don't even notice the change. They're too busy being caught up in a game.

"No, don't you dare."

"I don't know. Moving my piece here could prove to be really valuable." Leia sings, holding her piece above the spot on the board. She bats her eyes at him innocently, knowing exactly why she shouldn't put her piece there.

"What do you want?"

"Are you serious?"

"Dead."

Leia pauses, tapping her piece on her chin. "I don't know. Got any alcohol? Valora and I have been looking for an excuse to have a good time next week. We just don't have anything to drink."

"All you want is alcohol?" Luke scoffs, a grin growing on his face. "I have some stashed under my bed. It's yours if you don't put that piece there."

"Deal." Leia smiles. She quickly places her piece somewhere else. It's a much more strategic place for her to win the game in two short moves.

Luke sighs, thankful that she didn't take his spot. But as he looks at the board, he realizes what has happened. No matter what piece he moves, she will win the game. There's absolutely no way out of it. "Hey, no fair."

"You told me not to put my piece there," Leia smirks, intertwining her fingers together and placing her chin on them. She holds back a laugh as she watches him stumble over the board.

"See, this is why I hate playing this game with you. You always win!" He exclaims, tossing his arms out in defeat. He smiles and shakes his head at her. "I don't know where you learned it from because I can beat everyone on base but you."

"I'm not telling. I can't lose my championship title to someone like you." She replies as she leans back her chair. "Also, I'll come by and grab your alcohol later tonight. Just to take it off your hands so you don't accidentally drink it all."

Luke rolls his eyes, about to shoot back another comeback when Bail and their mother enter the room. "Leia, we have a mission for you." Padmé declares, slightly panting. They have been looking for her all over the base. Finally, someone said they saw her in a break room with Luke.

"What kind of mission?" Leia asks, rising from her seat.

"Urgent. If you accept, you leave in the next five minutes."

"Of course. What am I doing? Where am I going?" Leia quickly asks, trying to get as much information as possible before she heads out. She's been sent on many urgent missions over the years, most of them recently, but something about this one feels different.

"Bail will explain more later, but it's very dangerous. You need to stay safe, do you understand?" Padmé asks, her hands tightly gripping Leia's shoulders. Ever since the mission to Lothal, Padmé has allowed Leia to take more solo missions. Most of them are not life or death situations, but this one is. If the timing isn't right, things could end very badly.

"I know. I'm always careful." Leia says as her heart rate begins to rise. What has her mother this spooked? What is she going to do on this mission?

"I love you." She says, pulling her in for a tight hug.

"I love you too," Leia replies back, her confusion masked.

Padmé raises her head for a quick second. "Luke, come say goodbye."

He swiftly rises from his seat, his eyes wide. Something doesn't feel right. He's said goodbye to Leia almost every time she's been sent off, but this feels like the last time he might ever see her. The last possible chance of saying goodbye.

When she turns, he sees a similar look of confusion and shock. "Goodbye, Leia. Good luck." He says, giving her a hug.

"Thanks." She says, hugging him back.

"Leia, we need to go." Bail says. The three of them leave Luke alone in the break room. He knows better than to worry about Leia. She can handle herself, which she has proved countless times. But this time, something isn't sitting right with him.

Though he won't say out loud that he has a bad feeling about this, he senses that something drastic is going to happen. He only hopes that it has nothing to do with Leia. She has to come back safe and sound. Because if she doesn't, he has no clue what he'll do.

xxx

Her crew is in a state of panic. They have just barely escaped Vader and know that he is following them. He will not rest until he finds their ship and takes the plans from her grasp, destroying it before it can get to her rebel base. She, along with everyone else still alive, knows that they can not return to their base in fear of it being discovered and attacked.

When she had accepted this mission, she knew the risks involved. She had taken an oath to herself at a young age that she would do anything for the rebellion. She didn't want anyone else in the galaxy to be forced to grow up the way she had. The Empire is life-sucking and filled with nothing but terror and brainwashing. She swore to make everything right again, even if it meant losing her own life.

"Princess Leia, I really suggest getting you into an escape pod." Captain Antilles says. He promised Bail and Padmé that he would return her without a scratch. Of course, they knew that would be highly unlikely, considering how important her mission is. Despite the situation they're in, he is going to make sure she goes unscathed in this mess.

"I will not," Leia argues, narrowing her eyes at him. "I am going to face the consequences of my actions with everyone else. I will not have all of you take the blame for this cause."

"We can't risk these plans slipping from our fingers." He says. "What do you plan on doing?"

"I'm taking care of it. Just get the crew ready to be boarded." She commands as she turns on her heels and marches off. Captain Antilles lets out a sigh, shaking his head. If only she didn't have so much of her mother in her. Then he could talk some sense into her, show her that she can go safely back to base with the plans, and be with her family.

But Leia, like Padmé, will never abandon her crew, even in their most desperate hour.

"Artoo!" She calls out, cupping her hands around her mouth. "Artoo, where are you?"

Almost on cue, the little blue astromech comes rolling out of one of the rooms. His golden companion, C-3PO, shuffles behind him. The two of them have been almost inseparable for as long as Leia can remember. Though 3PO spends more time with her mother and R2 stays with Obi-Wan and Luke, both of them were ordered to join her today. And now, she knows why.

"What is it, Princess Leia?" C-3PO asks, slightly tilting his head in the way a human would.

"I need you two to take these plans and get them back to the rebel base." She says as she kneels to the ground. R2 eagerly rolls forward, taking them from her hands. He locks it inside of himself with a few beeps that Leia hopes means that he understands his task. "When we get out of hyperspace, you need to take an escape pod. I already have the coordinates set in it."

R2 buzzes, rolling close to her. She looks up at 3PO, silently asking what he said. "He is wondering what you will do." He translates. "I am also curious." He adds.

"I need to stay here with the ship and the crew. I can't have them take all of the heat." She explains as she gently rubs the top of the little droid's head.

Suddenly, he understands what she means and he is afraid for her. She can not stay here! It's unsafe for her. He bumps into her, a series of sad noises escaping him. "He insists that you join us. He says that you need to be the one to deliver the plans." C-3PO says, a tone of sadness somehow present in his robotic voice. "I agree, Princess. You must come home with us. Queen Padmé would never forgive us if we left you here in this life-threatening situation."

"No, Threepio. I'm not leaving. If you take the escape pod, they'll let you go without a second thought." She argues, feeling a pressure building behind her eyes. The reality of her situation is finally sinking in. She will probably never see her family again. She will most likely die in less than a few hours. "My crew needs me. I can not leave with you."

The ship jolts, signaling that they've come out of hyperspace. "There isn't any time to argue. You need to leave, now." She commands as she rises. R2 lets out a sad whine as she pushes him away. "Please, Artoo. Don't make this any harder for me. Go now."

"Farewell, Princess Leia. We will see you soon." C-3PO says as he begins to waddle away. Leia cracks a painful smile at the two droids from her childhood as they enter the escape pod. Somehow, one of the most negative droids she's ever met has been able to fill her with hope about escaping this cruiser safely. And the little blue astromech full of attitude has given her a sense of happiness in this time of fear.

R2 hums out a goodbye just before the door locks. She watches as the escape pod launches out, drifting into deep space until it is nothing but a tiny speck. Just as she suspected, they escaped without a single shot fired their way.

C-3PO and R2-D2 watch out their small window. "Don't worry, Artoo. I'm sure she'll be back safely. After all, she is very resourceful. And Queen Padmé will send troops out here to save her when we give her the news. It will all be alright." He encourages.

R2 beeps back at him.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF SHE DOES NOT RETURN?

"If she doesn't return, then we will just have to remember her bravery to recount for Queen Padmé and Master Luke."

xxx

Leia hears the lightsaber igniting, the dreaded buzzing echoing down the hallway. Her crew's painful cries and begs for mercy make her cover her ears. Captain Antilles hid her away in a closet in hopes that Vader would leave without getting her.

But she knows that won't happen.

She swallows down her fear, trying to keep calm. If only she wasn't alone. She longs to have Luke by her side, his optimism a light in her darkness. Silent tears trek down her cheeks as she hears him making his way closer and closer. She covers her mouth to keep herself quiet.

She can feel him, his presence beginning to cloud over her. She tries to block it out in hopes of concealing herself, but she has a good feeling that he already knows where she is. All she can really do in this closet is cling to the hope that he will leave her alone.

She freezes, her heart in her throat as his mechanical breathing pushes through her thoughts.

He's here.

He's just outside of her closet, no more than five feet away. She makes her muscle tight in an attempt to stop herself from making any movement. If she stays quiet and motionless, he won't even think to check in the closet. He will leave without finding her. She will be safe.

She jumps, the door flinging open. Her jaw drops as she looks up at his face. Now that she can see him, she can feel the turmoil of pain inside of him. Everything she's been trained not to be is oozing off of him. His sickening fog of fear, anger, hate, and suffering almost suffocates her.

She slowly shakes her head in both shock and awe.

"There you are, Your Highness." He says. He reaches out, grabbing her and dragging her from her hiding place. She will be held responsible for the crimes she has committed. He holds tightly onto her and gestures for the stormtroopers to lead the way back to his shuttle.

xxx

He can feel how powerful the Force is within her. If it wasn't so strong, perhaps he wouldn't have been able to detect her inside that closet. He is fairly certain that she has no idea how to use the Force, but one can never tell with Bail. Though he hasn't been accused of having contact with any Jedi in decades, Vader knows that Bail used to be a sympathizer back when the Republic was in power.

There is a chance that he knows of one far away who could have trained Leia Organa in the Force.

And because of this risk, this possible conspiracy, Bail must pay the price.

"Where are you taking me?" She spits as he drags her through the hallways of the ship. Only a few hours ago, he found her shaking in fear. Now, her fear has been crumbled and replaced with anger and confidence.

Confidence that, if she wasn't a rebel, he would congratulate. His stormtroopers should take notes from her. She does not cower from him, even when her life is hanging in his grasp. She does not back down. She will not go down without a fight and he allows himself to admire that about her.

He ignores her questions, letting her mind wander from idea to idea. He wants to know everything about Leia Organa. He has been keeping a close tab on her for a few years now. After the Lothal incident, she has not left his mind. To finally be with her in person is a mix of excitement and disappointment.

He's pleased to finally meet the girl he's been keeping an eye out for. She's everything he's heard. She's resourceful, strongwilled, and somewhat sour. But there's a touch of disappointment that she was captured so easily. He was expecting more of a fight from her.

He leads her into the room. She slightly stumbles in, shocked at what is in front of her. Alderaan is wide in the window, it's blue and green swirls capturing her attention. Through the Force, he feels her hesitation and worry. She wants to know why they brought her home. She wants to know what they plan to do.

But her thoughts harden to spite as she looks at Tarkin. He wants to tell her that he agrees with her. Tarkin is something that bugs him too. They used to get along well, having similar ideas about how to lead armies back during the Clone Wars. But now, he's nothing but a drag and Vader is glad that she insults him the moment she sees him.

He stands silently behind her, listening to Tarkin. Vader watches him grab her chin and he wants to shout at him to stop. Though she doesn't know it, Vader does feel something for her. After all, he has spent the past few years studying and learning about her. She's something like a friend, maybe more like an acquaintance. She should not have to let him of all people near her. Something about Tarkin just doesn't sit right with him.

For his sake and hers, Tarkin lets her go. He mentions her execution, hoping to spark fear inside her. Vader doesn't feel a thing, and he knew the threat would not bother her. She has been working for the rebellion for years, possibly her whole life. She has come to terms with her death. It does not scare her.

Tarkin continues to toy with her. Vader rolls his eyes underneath his mask. This is nothing but some feeling of power for Tarkin. Otherwise, what is the need to go on about the Death Star? He should just get to the point and tell her what is to happen if she doesn't give up the base where Padmé is located.

Tarkin finally says that Alderaan will be the test subject. Vader feels fear run through Leia. Of course, the princess cares for her planet. They are her people, this is her home. Her family is down there, unaware of what is to happen. She would do anything to protect them.

At least, that's what they are expecting her to do.

Vader knows Leia, at least he thinks he does. She has given her life to the rebellion. Why now would she give up their base? Surely she would rather die and take Alderaan with her if it means keeping Padmé, their leader, safe?

Leia begs for Tarkin to leave Alderaan alone. She pleads for them, saying that they are a peaceful planet. Vader almost finds himself agreeing with her. But, he pushes it down. Whatever is going to happen to Alderaan and Bail is their own doing. They are with the rebellion and now they must pay the price.

Tarkin begins to threaten her, causing her to back up. Vader freezes, feeling Leia lean against him. He feels a jolt when they connect. It's something familiar. It reminds him of someone from his past, someone who used to be so close to him.

And he finds in the back of his mind that he wants to protect Leia the way that he couldn't protect the one he loved.

But no. He can't. He can not throw everything they've worked for away for this child.

So he remains silent.

He can feel her sense of worry and fear growing in the Force. He knows that she wants to protect Alderaan. She wants to keep her family and friends safe from destruction. "Dantooine." She confesses. She looks down, quietly repeating herself. "They're on Dantooine."

She's lying. He knows this. He can feel it through the Force.

"There. You see, Lord Vader? She can be reasonable." Tarkin smirks.

And just because of that, Vader keeps it to himself. Best to let him figure it out on his own.

Leia relaxes for just a moment. She believes that Alderaan is safe.

Then she hears for them to fire on Alderaan. Her fear sparks, slightly startling Vader. He feels her mix of sadness, terror, and guilt. She really thought that she was in the clear? Did she actually think they would let a known rebel planet stay unharmed?

"No!" She exclaims, moving to attack him. Vader grabs her shoulder and pulls her back to him. Though it would be entertaining to watch her strike Tarkin, it would do her more harm than good. So, in a way, he feels that he has protected her from something. He's saved her from more trouble.

Alderaan explodes and Vader feels the cries of terror. This does nothing to affect him, but Leia slightly stumbles forward. So she has felt it too. She does know of the Force inside of her or at least reacts it.

Her sadness is overwhelming him, giving him a headache. He wants to push her away. He wants her emotions to stop. He has not felt anything but numbness and cold for almost two decades. What she is doing to him is unnatural. It's almost foreign to him now.

She is pulled from his grip and turned to be lead back to her cell. He knows how she feels, he's felt it. He knows the emotions she is harboring and yet she doesn't show it. Again, he is impressed. She is made of iron, her emotions masked well. Before she's out of sight, she gives one last look at him.

It's a look of anger and hate.

And he knows that it's directed at him.

xxx

Leia huffs, laying down on her cold, concrete bed. They couldn't at least have a pillow or something? She decides to wait for a long time before moving, hoping that they'll forget about her for a while. She feels guilty and sad about what has happened to Alderaan but knows that she must remember her training.

She needs to think about the present right now.

Which means finding a way out of this cell. She rolls onto her side, pretending to be asleep as she thinks of her escape plan. She knows that she can open the cell by using the Force but isn't sure what she'll find out there. There could be loads of guards protecting her while they wait to check out Dantooine. She doesn't want to still be in here when they discover that there's nothing there but an abandoned base. Her family was stationed there years ago. When they thought they were going to be discovered, they were moved. Last she heard, the remaining rebels relocated months ago.

She rises to her feet, accepting that there's no way for her to know what's out there. She will just have to trust in the Force and herself. She will have to make up the plan as she goes and hope that it'll all work out fine. What else can she do besides wait in here for her execution?

Her execution. What a joke.

Because they've blown up Alderaan, who is going to care about what happens to her? Of course, her family and friends will back on base. At least, she hopes they'll care about her death. But what will her execution do for the Empire? Everyone out there who believes she is really an Organa is not going to care. They'll just think that she should have died on Alderaan rather than be executed.

She shakes her head, hoping to clear her mind about Alderaan and her execution for the moment. She just needs to get out of this cell and find some help. Cautiously, she uses the Force to unlock her cell. She peeks out just enough to see down the hallway.

Everything is clear for the most part. There are a few stormtroopers standing in the prison entrance. They aren't doing anything really. They are hardly even standing guard. They're loudly talking to themselves and messing around.

Hmm. Not really a surprise to her.

She sneaks out into the hallway, walking as fast and as quiet as she can. Now that she's escaped her cell, how is she going to get off this blasted station? She has no ship. She has no droids like R2 to try to find her a ship.

Think, Leia. Think.

No. Use the Force.

Yes, use the Force. Listen to what it is trying to tell you. Go where it is trying to lead you.

xxx

The door to his and Chewie's cell opens, startling them. He was expecting it to be stormtroopers, but instead, he sees a petite woman. Her hands are on her hips as she glares down at them. "Do you two have a ship I can use?"

"Excuse me?" Han asks, rising from the cell bed.

"I need to get off this station. I'll help you escape with me if you give me a ride out of here." She quickly explains, coming a few more steps into the room. Han can now see her brown eyes and the buns on the sides of her head. She's little, but he already knows she can pack a punch. "Now tell me, do you have a ship?"

"Yeah, we've got a ship. We have to make sure that the tractor beam is turned off before we can even think about escaping though." He says with a soft scoff.

"Don't worry about the tractor beam." She replies, already exiting their cell. "I can fix that. You just work on getting to your ship." She commands, marching through the halls like she owns the place.

Han looks to Chewie, who lets out a few grunts. "I know. Who does she think she is?" Han asks, pointing down the hallway at her. He follows her out, checking the coast. It's clear, free of all stormtroopers for the moment.

Chewie grunts, gesturing for Han to follow him. Together, they make their way to the hangar. Han looks over his shoulder, trying to find the woman who freed them. Though Han has never been one to care about anyone, he's suddenly worried that she won't make it to their ship in time. He's worried she'll be captured again.

But rather than deal with her and her problems, he has to figure out how to get past the troopers standing guard at his ship.

xxx

Leia silently thanks Bail for teaching her about tractor beams. Before she could go on any solo missions, her mother and Bail taught and tested her on everything from cruisers to star destroyers. Mechanics are among Luke's interests but she knows them like the back of her hand.

She makes sure to turn off the power, hoping that whoever is watching the systems isn't paying that much attention. She quickly flips off the tractor beams then turns back on the system so that it doesn't come onto the system alerts that they've been turned off. 

She has to leave quickly. She needs to find that ship and get out of here before anyone notices that she's escaped. She bolts down the hallway, trying to find where the hangar is. Oh, she just hopes that they haven't left without her. If she gets left behind, there will be no second chance for her.

Leia slams on her heels, trying to stop. Stormtroopers turn their heads, looking her. "It's the prisoner!" One of them shouts.

If it was one or two of them, Leia would have tried to perform a mind trick on them. But there's too many. She can't handle this many troopers at a time. She quickly turns around and goes back the way she came. "Stop her!" They command.

Leia takes a deep breath, trying to connect herself to the Force again. She follows its calling, hoping that it'll lead her to the hangar. She is beginning to grow tired, her legs starting to feel like jelly. She's not sure how much longer she can stay ahead of them.

There! She sees it. She's just above it. She can see a ship, it's engines starting up. 

She runs down to the hangar, stormtroopers following close behind. When she gets inside, she sees the Wookie standing outside of the ship. It's a piece of junk, but Leia will take anything to get off of this station. 

The Wookie howls at her to hurry up and she wants to shout back at him. Instead, she uses the last of her energy to bolt up the ramp and head for the cockpit. She hops into one of the pilot seats and begins helping to take off.

Han shouts in protest at first, but she ignores him. They need to take off quickly before Vader or anybody else gets the message that she's gone. Quickly, she punches in the coordinates for the rebel base. That is the only place that will be safe for them at the moment. 

Once they're finally in hyperspace, Leia starts to check every nook and cranny for anything that could be tracking them. "What are you doing?" Han asks, leaning over to watch her dig in one of his empty compartments in the floor.

"There must be a tracking device somewhere. Why else would they have let us go so easily?" She asks, refusing to take her head out to talk to him face to face. She can't believe she's trusting a smuggler to take her back to her base. 

"A tracking device?" He scoffs. 

"Yes. They've probably put one on every ship in case I escaped."

Han furrows his eyebrows. "What have you done to the Empire that they want you that bad?" He asks. Sure, he was captured by the Empire too, but that was because he was using an unauthorized space lane and smuggling illegal spices. What has she done to put such a large target on her back?

She pulls her head out. She rests on her knees, letting out a soft sigh. "I'm a princess." She quietly says.

"Really?" He replies with a soft smile. She nods her head. "Where are you from?"

"Alderaan," Leia answers, her eyes falling to the floor. The name brings pain into her heart. She doesn't want to think about right now. It just doesn't seem real. How is it gone? It is nothing but floating debris when just hours ago there were people living there.

"Why don't I take you there?" Han asks. If she's from Alderaan, why did she put in coordinates for the other side of the galaxy? She has to know her planet's location, right? I mean, just because she's royalty doesn't mean she relies on others for everything, right?

"Because there's nothing there for me to go back to." She frowns. She stands up, walking away. She doesn't want to talk to him anymore. He doesn't understand what has happened. He doesn't know what's she's dealing with inside herself right now.

Han follows her. "Look, I don't know what's going on. And I really hate to bring this up, but if we're not going to Alderaan, how do you plan on paying us for helping you escape?"

"You'll get your credits." She snaps. "I follow through with my promises. You will be paid handsomely when we land, don't you worry." She says. How can he worry about credits right now? Can't he see that she's hurting inside? That she wants to be left alone?

He raises his hands in surrender. "I wasn't doubting you. I was just curious." 

"Well, stop it."

"Stop being curious?"

"Yes."

"So I can't ask you anything?" Han asks, continuing to follow her around the ship. He knows that she's growing angry, but he kind of likes it. As much as he doesn't want to say it, she's kind of cute when she's mad. 

"No. Nothing."

"Well, that will make this a long trip."

"Good."

"Good?"

"Yes. Good." She fires back. She rises to her tiptoes, trying to reach above a cupboard. She's found it, the tracking device. She just needs to grab it and turn it off. But she can't reach it. And she doesn't want to ask him for assistance.

"Need help, Your Highness?" He asks. She already knows he's smirking behind her back.

She sighs, relaxing her shoulders. She shouldn't be so snappy with him. After all, he is taking her back to base. And he doesn't know what has happened to Alderaan. She should be somewhat friendly, even if he is annoying. "Yes, please." She quietly replies.

He reaches from behind her to grab the device. He gives it to her, their hands touching for a brief second. She quickly turns it off then looks at him. Maybe she should make polite conversation. That's what her mother would want her to do anyway. Plus, it'll distract her from what's happened. She cracks a small smile. "Sorry. I don't know your name."

"Han Solo." He says, looking down at her. "Chewbacca's the Wookie. What's your name?"

"Leia Organa." 

He smiles for a quick second. "Welcome aboard the Millennium Falcon, Princess Leia Organa."

xxx

When they finally land, rebels rush out. They have their guns aimed at the foreign ship. They are prepared to defend this place from anyone. Leia walks out, gesturing for them to lay their weapons down. One of the commanders walks forward to meet her. "Princess, we didn't know it was you."

"Yes. I was given a ride by Captain Solo. Please, make him comfortable. I owe him." She briefly explains. Quickly, Han and Chewbacca are swarmed by men. Han greets them, but his eyes stay watching the princess. Something inside of him doesn't want to leave her side. He wants to make sure that she's safe here, but he's pulled in an opposite direction from her until she's out of sight. 

Leia walks with one of her mother's most trusted guards. "My droids." She immediately says. "Have my droids made it here safely?"

"Yes. The astromech and protocol droid arrived safely." He answers. "We retrieved the plans from them and are already at work with what was uncovered. Last I saw, they were with your brother and mother."

"Where is my mother?"

"She is in her quarters with Ben Kenobi and Prince Luke. I'll escort you there."

"Thank you." 

xxx

"Mom!" She cries out when she enters the room. Padmé turns and lets out a sigh of relief. Running as fast as her legs will carry her, Leia dives into her mother's arms. Feeling safe in her arms, she lets what happened wash over her. She thinks of Bail, Alderaan, prison, and Vader. She hides her face into Padmé's shoulder, her anxiety and sadness now taking control.

"Leia. Thank the Force you're alright." Padmé says, her hand holding tightly onto the back of Leia's head. "We heard through the rebel holonet that you were taken as a hostage. We were so worried that something terrible would happen to you. We haven't heard from--"

"Bail is dead." She interrupts. She slightly hyperventilates, trying to keep her sobs to herself. She never cries, especially in front of Obi-Wan and Luke. But she can't stop it. Thinking of Bail and everyone she's ever loved on Alderaan makes her heart shatter. And after keeping it in for so long, it feels like she's about to burst. "They blew up Alderaan. The entire planet is gone. It's nothing but a bunch of floating rocks."

Padmé pulls Leia's head from her shoulder, cupping her face in her hands. Leia watches a fire spark inside her mother's watering brown eyes. "Who? Who killed Bail?" She demands, her hands trembling.

She pinches her eyes shut, trying to block out the pain. "Vader." She sobs. Her shoulders shake as her knees grow weak. "The entire time I was held hostage, I was near him. H-He touched me. He talked to me. He hurt me."

Padmé's jaw locks. She wants to do something to relieve the pressure and pain inside her chest. She wants to take something and smash it against a wall. She wants to scream and cuss out his name.

It is one thing to hurt her.

It is another thing to hurt her children.

Obi-Wan, sensing the rage growing inside of Padmé, reaches out and takes Leia into his arms. She grabs onto his robes, burrowing deep into his chest as she used to as a child. His hands run down her head and back in an attempt to soothe her.

She muffles her wails, forgetting about everyone with her and only thinking about everyone she lost. Bail is gone and she never got to say goodbye. He didn't even get a proper burial. His remains are floating in space, nothing more than dust.

She tips her head up, her bloodshot eyes making his heart sink. "I felt it." She whispers, her bottom lip trembling. "There was this great disturbance in the Force. I heard them, millions of them cry out in terror and be suddenly silenced. I could feel it all and I just had to stand there and silently watch."

"We felt it, too." He softly says, referring to him and Luke. "I'm so sorry that you had to go through that alone. I wish I could have done something to prevent this."

"I was so scared." She says, placing her head onto his shoulder. "I was told that if I gave away the rebel base that he would leave Alderaan alone. But Tarkin, he shot it anyway. Oh, this is all my fault. If I hadn't gone to get those plans then Bail wouldn't be dead. I wouldn't have killed everyone on Alderaan."

"That's not true." Luke cuts in. She peeks out above Obi-Wan's shoulder, just barely able to see him standing beside the wall. "You didn't kill Bail, Leia. Don't say that."

"But I did! I killed him!" She shouts. Obi-Wan pulls her tighter to him, hoping to calm her.

"Vader and Tarkin killed him!" Luke fires back, his anger somehow reaching her through the Force. "If you hadn't gotten those plans then we wouldn't be planning our attack on that blasted station. What you did was necessary and Bail and everyone else would agree that it wasn't your fault. They knew the risks."

His chest slightly puffs out. "Don't let their sacrifice be in vain. Let's destroy that death station so that other planets don't disappear like Alderaan." He slowly walks to her, his hand touching hers. "I know you hurt. I do too." He confesses. He gulps, thinking his next words through. "But please, don't blame yourself. Please, Leia. What happened isn't your fault."

She closes her eyes, letting it sink in. He has some points, but she won't admit that right now. In fact, she doesn't want to talk at all. She just wants to be in the safety of the family she still has. She wants to treasure them because now the reality that they can be taken away from her haunts her.

"I love you." She says. "Everyone, I mean." She adds, looking at each of them. The three of them embrace her from all sides. She feels warm and safe in their protective arms. She forgets about freezing in her cell alone. She forgets about how it felt when she touched her father. She forgets the sound of his bone-chilling breathing.

All she thinks about is the people she's with now and how good it feels to be with them. "We know, Leia," Padmé says, her voice calmer than it was earlier. "And we love you, too."

~~~~~~~~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This seems a bit early, but I am in the stages of writing another book. I'm thinking it'll involve Obi-Wan falling the dark side during the Clone Wars and how that changes everything. If you would be interested, please let me know so I don't write out a whole book for no one to read. Also, if you have any ideas about what I could add in there, I'm totally open to ideas!!


	13. Chapter 12

  
  
Leia groans, laying on her back. "Don't you ever shut up?" She asks, covering her blushing face.

"What? I just want to know about you and Han." Valora says. She jumps onto the bed next to Leia. Though the bed is made for one person, the two of them make it work. She pulls on one of Leia's braids, trying to get her attention. "I mean, it's so obvious that you two have a thing for each other."

"We do not have a thing," Leia grumbles, peeking out from her hands.

"Oh, you do too." Valora scoffs, softly pushing Leia. "I'm pretty sure you're the only reason he's still around. I mean, he could be anywhere in the galaxy right now with the credits you gave him, and yet he chooses to be here."

"He and Luke are good friends now. Ever think that maybe he talked him into staying and helping?"

"Luke is pretty good at persuading people to join the rebellion, I'll give you that." Valora agrees. Leia removes her hands from her face, confident that her cheeks are no longer red from embarrassment. Valora lets out a sigh, blowing her blonde wisps from her face. "So if you're not with Han, can I have him?"

"Go for it," Leia says, waving at her.

Valora laughs, holding onto her stomach. "That only further proves my point."

"How?" Leia grins, turning to face her.

"I don't know, it just does." She replies with a smile. "I know you like him. Just admit it and I'll drop the subject."

"I won't admit that I like him!" Leia scoffs, feeling her cheeks heat again. "I've never been a liar, and I'm not starting today."

"You're lying right now!"

Leia's comlink buzzes on her wrist. She sits up, tossing her braids over her shoulder. "Sorry, my mother is calling. Guess this conversation will have to end here." She smirks.

"We'll just continue it when you get back." Valora fires back. Leia playfully groans and pushes her, making Valora laugh. "I won't let you get away that easy. This is the first time we're talking about boys and it doesn't involve me."

"Whatever. Just get out of my room." Leia says. She opens her door, gesturing for Valora to leave. Valora rolls off of the bed and marches to the door. She sticks her tongue out at Leia and quickly exits. Leia wants to wipe the smug smile off of her best friend's face but decides it isn't worth the effort.

She makes her way to the meeting room. When she enters, she sees her mother and Obi-Wan talking amongst themselves with hushed voices. They drop their conversation when their eyes land on her. "There you are," Padmé smiles. She looks over Leia's shoulder. "Where's Luke?"

She shrugs. "I don't know. Probably somewhere in the hangar bay."

As if on cue, her twin brother enters. "Sorry. I got here as fast as I could."

"Right on time." Padmé smiles. The four of them gather in a small circle, waiting to hear their instructions. It's evident that there is some type of mission for them. That's usually the case whenever they get called nowadays. "There's been a rumor that the Empire is planning to overtake Ryloth. We need to send you to go and try to warn the civilians. We'll have shuttles ready for them to board if they need a way off of the planet."

"So what exactly are we doing?" Luke asks. Though he's been on plenty of mission over the past few years, this isn't quite what he's used to. This is more of Leia's speed. He's usually the one to go and seek out the danger, putting an end to it with his lightsaber. Leia typically gets civilians to safety from the people he attacks.

"Nothing too difficult. There are civilians on Ryloth and we want to keep them safe. I want you two to go and find everyone you can and led them to the shuttles. We don't know exactly when the Empire will arrive, but we think it's best to be safe rather than sorry." Padmé explains.

"Alright." Leia agrees. "What will we be taking?"

"We were hoping that you two could join Captain Solo on the Falcon." Obi-Wan answers. He shares a small smile with Padmé as Luke begins to tease Leia.

"We're gonna go with Leia's boyfriend. How sweet." He smirks.

She punches his arm, glaring at him. "He is not my boyfriend! Han is nothing more than a friend. Can't you people understand that?"

"Sure, sure. You two are just together all of the time. Oh, and friends fight constantly, right?"

"We're fighting because he's a moron!"

"You're fighting because you're in love."

"Alright, enough," Padmé says, stopping them. She sends a small glare at her son. "Luke, knock it off. If Leia says Han is nothing more than a friend, then that's how it is. Leave your sister alone."

"I'm just teasing her," Luke replies, rolling his eyes.

"Remember, you have a whole trip together. Better not get on her bad side before it even begins." Obi-Wan softly chuckles. Leia perks up, raising a fist at Luke.

"Yeah, good idea. Better leave her alone until we get back." Luke nods. Though the two of them are evenly matched, he doesn't want to get on her bad side. She is great at finding ways to annoy him when she's upset. He'd rather not deal with that.

"Behave and take this seriously, please," Padmé says, stepping forward. "I don't want to find out you two messed this up because you were messing around."

"We won't." Leia and Luke instantly reply. They would never put other's lives in risk over something as silly as that. They know that this requires professional and rational thinking. They won't let this affect the mission.

"May the Force be with you." Obi-Wan smiles, giving them a slight bow to dismiss them.

"May the Force be with you." They repeat. They exit, almost out of the room when Leia hears them begin to talk again.

"I think Leia might have a small crush," Obi-Wan says.

"I heard that!" She shouts back, making him and Padmé freeze. "And I definitely do not!"

When they believe that Leia is out of earshot, Padmé leans over to him. "She does. She can pretend, but we all know she likes Han." She whispers to Obi-Wan with a smile.

_xxx_

The ship lands on Ryloth with no problems. Not too far off in the distance, the shuttles are landing on a flat area of the planet. Other rebel ships are also making their way through the planet's atmosphere.

"We better get started. The quicker this goes the better. We don't want to risk something bad happening." Leia says as she secures her blaster on her hip.

"Yeah, okay. We'll follow your lead, Your Highness." Han says as she opens the ramp. The three men follow her to the planet's main center. She gathers as many people up as she can and begins explaining the situation to them.

Most of the civilians understand. They go back to their houses to pack a few belongings and head to the shuttles. Other rebels help them safely load, making sure everyone is comfortable. Once each shuttle has its maximum capacity, it makes its way back to its designated safe planet.

Leia watches, impressed at how smooth everything is going. Shuttles are taking off quickly and there's only a few left now. Thankfully, there's been no sign of the Empire. Maybe all of the civilians will be taken care of before the Empire can get there iron grip on the planet.

"There's a building left that I think I should check out," Luke says, getting Leia's attention. "A few people have told me that it has housed the homeless in the past. I want to make sure that everyone gets off this planet."

"Okay." She nods. She gives a quick look around the area. Almost everyone is gone. "I think we'll head back to the Falcon. Everything here seems to be taken care of."

"Sounds good. I'll meet you guys there when I'm finished." Luke says. He makes his way to the large building, forcing inside through a heavy set of doors. When he gets in, he's surprised to see that there a few people still packing up.

"Hey." He calls out. They look over their shoulders at him. "The last shuttles are going to be leaving soon. You might want to hurry things up and get out there before they take off without you."

"Of course. Sorry." They answer back. They stuff their remaining items into their packs then throw it onto their backs. Swiftly, they exit the building and he assumes they're going to the shuttles.

Though Luke doesn't see anybody else, he decides to take a look around. The architecture of Ryloth is fascinating. It's very different than what he's seen on the other planets he's lived on. He makes his way into a large room. He's not quite sure what it's used for. There are landscape paintings on the wall and designs on the floor. The ceiling has a large chandelier dripping down like raindrops. He starts to ponder over what they could need a room this big for when he hears the ceiling start to creak. The chandelier twinkles, making random beams of light dance around the room.

The building begins crumbling around him. The doorways bend until they snap, sending debris tumbling down to block the exits. He is cornered, trapped like a small animal with no chance of escape. Bolts of energy burst through him as he claws at the rocks, praying that he can move enough to squeeze out here. He needs to escape if he wants to survive.

But it's too late.

He can feel the cold, the anger.

The intense hate chills him to his bones.

Heavy, mechanical breathing echos inside the darkened room. Luke's hands tremble as he searches for the lightsaber at his hip. He presses his back against the wall, his green lightsaber now positioned in front of him to save him from whatever is out there. He takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He can not react properly if he's too scared to even think.

Then a blinding red light forms in the only doorway. There he stands, the father of all evil.

Darth Vader.

"What do we have here?" He asks, his deep voice sending goosebumps up Luke's arms. Luke has never heard his voice nor seen him in person. He's taller than he expected and his voice is a lot creepier when it's not coming from a hologram. Now he understands why so many people are afraid of this dark shadow of a human.

He gulps, remembering his training with Obi-Wan. He can not let his feelings betray him as they have in the past. He can not give away anything to this monster. He must protect everyone. So instead of showing his fear, he stands taller and grips his lightsaber tighter. He is ready to fight. He will not go down like a coward.

"Oh, it's only a padawan. I thought this would be a real fight." Vader says, walking farther into the room. He knows that the child standing in front of him is terrified. He can feel it through the Force. He is impressed at how strong the Force is with him and well he is masking his fear. Whoever has been training him over the years has done well.

"I'm not a padawan anymore." Luke answers. He is somewhat shocked at how confident he sounds. Impressed with his accomplishment of at least sounding brave, he narrows his eyes at the dark being in front of him and brings back his lightsaber into a position of offense.

"Well, you are not a master, that much is obvious," Vader says, studying him. The boy can not be much older than 20. He would have had to been born after the fall of the Republic. He was not trained in the Temple, which means that he was raised by a Jedi who survived Order 66. "I must give you and your master credit for being able to stay out of my sights for this long. That is a great achievement."

Luke furrows his eyebrows. He really hasn't been hiding from him that well at all. He has been living on rebel bases his entire life. That is probably the worst place to be hiding from a leader in the Empire. Plus, he has been on many missions to multiple planets. How has news of him or Obi-Wan not gotten around to Vader? "Or maybe you're just not as good at finding Jedi as you think."

"You'd be surprised how many old fools are still out there. The one thing the clones were programmed to do they couldn't even properly complete. They've left many for me to finish off." He fires back. They begin to circle each other, sidestepping over fallen debris while keeping their eyes locked. Luke doesn't want to take the first move, but he also hates the taunting. Obi-Wan told him it's customary to taunt your enemies before attacking, but he's always despised it. He wants to move past this stage and start actually fighting.

"If it's a battle you want, then it's a battle you shall get." Vader declares. Luke quickly blocks the red beam, surprised. He didn't realize his thoughts are that easy to hear. He clears his mind, only thinking of his next move. He can not give anyone or anything away. Their lightsabers buzz and crackle as they meet. "Who is your master?" He asks.

"No one." Luke snaps as he pushes Vader's lightsaber off his.

"Fine. Then who are you?"

Luke chooses to ignore him, swinging at Vader instead. He will not get to know his name. He will not get to know his master's name. The information will die with him if it has to. He will not risk letting anyone die because of him.

"I asked you a question," Vader growls. He reaches out, his hand tightening into a fist. Luke lets out a gasp, his air supply being snapped off. He drops his lightsaber and his hands go to his neck. He pulls at his throat, desperately trying to pry off the invisible hands. The ground leaves his feet and he dangles in the air. Vader walks up to him, looking up at the purple-faced child as he squirms. "Who are you?"

Just when he thought he would pass out, Vader drops him. Luke's body smacking on the hard concrete echoes in the empty room. He loudly coughs and wheezes, the musty air entering his lungs again. He has heard of people being choked by this monster, but he didn't think it was quite like that. He felt so helpless as his life flashed before his eyes. He thought for sure that he would die floating in the air at his hands.

He is panting as he is resting on his hands and knees. Luke tilts his head up slightly, looking through his blond hair. He stares into the deep red glass covering Vader's eyes. "I am no one."

"That is not an answer, boy," Vader replies. He squeezes his hand again and Luke feels his windpipe begin to pinch shut. Vader smiles under his mask, seeing the boy's eyes widen in fear. It fuels him, giving him more power. "Ready to talk?"

Luke nods his head and his breathing returns. After a few deeps breaths, he answers, "I am Luke Kenobi."

"Luke Kenobi?" Vader repeats. If it didn't hurt to laugh, he would be guffawing in this child's face. No. It's not possible. This child is delusional or he believes that he is some fool. This lie is one of the worst he's ever heard. "I've only known one Kenobi and you are not his."

"I'm sorry?"

"Obi-Wan does not have a child and he could never have trained such a worthless padawan. You are not his." Vader spits. "Now, who are you really? Who is your actual master?"

Luke begins to stutter. He is offended and shocked that he doesn't believe him. Why would he lie? Why would he say something that would only make Vader madder? "It's true. Obi-Wan is my master."

"Prove it," Vader snaps. Luke feels a pounding inside his head, but he powers through it. He will not die after being insulted like that. He snatches his lightsaber off of the floor and swings at Vader. He rolls onto his feet and prepares himself for the attack.

Vader expertly spins his lightsaber and makes contact with Luke's. As they battle throughout the room, Vader begins to see it. The moves of defense are undoubtedly Obi-Wan's. Left foot forward when attacking, back when defending. Even down to how he is holding the lightsaber is Obi-Wan's work. It is loose enough to smoothly spin in his fingers but tight enough to not be knocked from him.

This boy is his replacement.

If things were different, this boy would be like his brother. They were trained by the same master, a father figure to both of them. He would have been like an older brother to this child, helping him out when Obi-Wan couldn't. He would offer to help him with his homework and be someone to turn to when he felt embarrassed to go to Obi-Wan. They would spend hours sparring with each other and he would teach him moves that Obi-Wan believed were too advanced. They would have had a bond very few Jedi have.

But that is no longer possible.

For the Jedi are extinct. They are nothing but ghost stories told in passing.

And he is no longer a Jedi.

Luke notices how Vader is studying him. It's like he is taking notes after every move he makes. Seeing this as an advantage, he closes his eyes and willingly opens his thoughts, hoping Vader will take the bait and dive into his mind. Memories of Obi-Wan wash over him. Everything from working on ships, training with lightsabers, and playing pranks on him. His gentle face with cheeks red from laughing at Luke is the last thing to flash past him.

When he opens his eyes, he can tell that Vader has seen them. He seems to be stunned by what he has watched, his swift swings slowing. Luke starts to think that he might have a chance at leaving this room in one piece. He just needs to get to the other side of the room.

Before he can make his move though, his right hand is sliced off. He lets out a cry as he is force pushed against the wall, knocking the air from his lungs. He can almost see the anger and hate growing around Vader. "That is not the Kenobi I know." He darkly growls.

Luke painfully grunts, trying to pull his arms off the wall but it's like he's been superglued. He can't even twist his head to look at his injury. He can only stare at his reflection in the red glass covering Vader's eyes. Slowly, he walks forward, making sure to have his footsteps echo. To Luke, it's almost like gunshots as he inches closer and closer. He almost begins to pant in fear and pain as Vader stands as close as possible without touching him. "The Kenobi you've been shown is a lie. That is not who he really is."

Though he is afraid, he will not show it. He will go down as brave as possible. "Like I'm going to listen to you." Luke spits, his spirit still on fire.

Vader pauses. "Who better to trust than his old padawan?"

He should look surprised at this information. But he's not because Vader is not his padawan. Obi-Wan did not teach him the ways of the dark side. Obi-Wan and Vader do not know each other. "If that's not him, then who is he really?" He asks between gritted teeth.

"I think I should you should find out for yourself. Ask him what happened on Mustafar. That should answer your question." Vader says. Luke arches his eyebrow. Mustafar? What could have happened there?

Without warning, Luke is dropped to the floor. He groans as he lays on his side. "I want you to understand that I am letting you go not out of mercy, but because I want you to see who your master truly is. Once you discover the truth of our past, you will see that I am right and you've been lead astray your whole life."

Luke wants to deny it, but he can't. He doesn't know what happened between Obi-Wan and his father. He has no idea about anything that happened on Mustafar. So Vader walks away with the final word, leaving Luke alone to dwell on what he is going to say when he returns to the base.

_xxx_

Leia paces back and forth on the ship, biting on her nails. "He is trouble. I need to go and save him." She insists. She isn't going to tell Han, but Vader was here. She felt him land on the planet then leave shortly afterward. Luke went into the building only minutes before and still hasn't returned.

She knows that they meet. Luke is like a beacon with how strong the Force is with him. Vader wouldn't have been able to resist going to him. What happened between them though, she can only guess. Maybe a battle. Maybe nothing at all. Maybe he's been captured and is being brought back to Palpatine for torturing. The possibilities are endless.

"Luke is fine, Your Highness." Han waves away from the pilot's seat. Chewbacca growls in agreement. "That kid's always got something up his sleeve. He'll back here before you know it."

Before she can argue, she sees him. He is clutching his arm to his chest and she knows that he's hurt. "Luke!" She cries, running to the ramp. Han and Chewie follow closely behind her, eager to get him on board so they can leave this depressing planet. Any planet attacked by the Empire leaves you feeling sick inside.

Her stomach drops and she has to hold back a gag. She has never done well with seeing other's injuries. "Han, come help me!" She shouts, wrapping her arm around his shoulders. She pulls him close to her, hiding his now handless arm from her sight and offering him comfort. "He's hurt, please hurry!"

"Woah, kid. What did you do?" Han asks, his brown eyes bulging from his head. Luke doesn't look well. Besides the missing hand, he's pale and clearly beaten up. Whatever he encountered in there only makes Han want to leave more.

"Questions later, medical aid first," Leia commands as she leads him up the ramp. Han has never done well at taking orders, but when it comes from Leia, he knows that there's no arguing. She is the boss.

Han shouts at Chewie to get them off the planet. The Falcon begins to roar, rising from the planet's surface. Leia sits with Luke on the couch, keeping him close. He's freezing and she can feel his fear. It's her job to make him feel better. "Well, I'm no medic, but this should help him until we get back to base," Han says, digging through one of the cabinets. He pulls out a syringe with a large needle. He rolls up Luke's sleeve and turns his head away. "Don't look. This is gonna pinch, kid." He says before inserting it into Luke.

He lets out a groan, but his face relaxes quickly after. "Thanks, Han."

"Kid, what happened in there?" He asks, shaking his head in disbelief. Luke was nearly packed to the teeth with weapons to protect himself. Not to mention, he had his lightsaber on him and everyone knows how well he can handle that glorious weapon. What could have possibly taken him down?

He gulps, thinking about Vader and what happened in there. Han wouldn't really understand the depth of it. Almost everyone is afraid of Vader, but he wouldn't be worried about what he said. "I don't really want to talk about it right now." Luke frowns. He looks at Leia then drops his gaze. He isn't even sure he wants to talk about it with her. "I just want to rest."

"We'll get back to base as soon as possible. Just hang on tight, okay?" Leia assures. She rubs his shoulder then leaves with Han to the cockpit. She gives him one last glance, wishing that he would ask her to stay. She wants to know what happened, but she won't push him.

At least not at the moment.

_xxx_

When they arrive on base, they are greeted with a medical team. Luke is taken into surgery to see what damage has been done to him. Han and Chewie are sent to report everything that happened on Ryloth.

Leia's presence is requested by the Queen. She already knows what to expect. When she arrives in the medical bay, she's greeted by Obi-Wan and her mother. They're waiting just outside of Luke's room, totally alone. Padmé brings Leia in for a quick hug. "What happened?" She asks, rubbing her shoulders.

Leia shrugs, slightly shaking her head. "I don't know." She confesses.

"Luke didn't say anything?" Obi-Wan asks, furrowing his eyebrows.

"No. He wouldn't tell me anything." Leia replies. She frowns, her worry now growing stronger. She wants to bite on her nails but she messes with her hair instead. "He always tells me everything. I don't know what could have possibly happened."

"That's not like Luke at all." Padmé sighs. She pulls her arms to her chest and looks at Obi-Wan. "Something terrible happened. I mean, obviously, he lost his hand. But something terrible hurt him inside."

Obi-Wan shares a glance with Leia. He wasn't sure he wanted to say anything with Padmé around. But, now he feels that there is no choice but to discuss it with her. Besides, she is Luke's mother and she can handle it. "I only got a quick look," He begins. "But his injury looks like it happened from a lightsaber."

Padmé softly gasps and covers her mouth. "What are you implying?"

Obi-Wan raises his hands. "We know that there are Inquisitors out there. He could have met one of those. And we know that lightsabers are easy to acquire on the black market. It could have been anyone, really. All I'm saying is, whoever it was, they used a lightsaber."

Leia bites on her lower lip. She didn't want to say anything because it's not hers to tell. Whatever happened on Ryloth is for Luke to spill. Still, she feels that it is her job to let their mother and Obi-Wan know the truth. They only want to help. How can they do that without knowing everything? "No. I know who it was."

Padmé and Obi-Wan turn to her. "Who?" Padmé asks.

Leia glares and locks her jaw. "It was Vader." She practically spits. "I felt him. His presence was just like when I was on the Death Star. I know he was on Ryloth."

There is a silence between the three of them. The horror of what could have gone on between them brings tension to the room. None of them want to say it, Padmé does. "What did Vader do to my son?"

Obi-Wan sighs and tugs on his beard. "We won't know until Luke tells us, unfortunately."

The subject ends there. They spend the rest of their day waiting for Luke to finish his surgery. They find things and other conversations to pass the time. Just when they think their patience has run out, the nurse droid comes out. "He is ready to see you."

The three of them practically run into his room. His eyes widen as his mother wraps her arms around his neck. "Luke, don't you ever do that again. Do you understand?"

"You think I want to get my hand cut off again?" He asks with a soft laugh. She pulls away, slightly frowning.

"Glad to see your humor is still intact." She says. She continues to fuss over him, fixing his hair and making sure he's comfortable. He politely answers each of her questions this time, letting her get her worry out.

Obi-Wan walks forward, getting his attention. Luke looks up, his heart slightly sinking. "Let me see your new hand." He says with a soft smile.

Luke begins to wiggle his new hand, showing them how it works. Leia quickly awes over it, impressed with how similar it looks to his actual hand. If she had just met him, she would have had no idea that it was a replacement. Though she won't say it out loud with her mother around, she kind of wishes she had one.

Padmé is glad to see that Luke is okay. It will take some time to get used to his new hand, but she knows he'll pick it up quickly. A Jedi she once loved also had his hand replaced from a lightsaber battle. As she watches him sit in his medical bed, she can't help but wonder what happened to him. She wants to know who hurt her baby this way.

So she says something only a mother could. "Luke, you need to tell us how this happened. I need to know who hurt you."

Luke stops, his gaze fixed on his blanket. "I think you already know."

Leia feels her cheeks heat up. She shouldn't have said anything. Now Luke is going to keep them in the dark. He's going to think that keeping this secret from them is going to protect them. "Darth Vader. I know. I felt him." She admits. "I told them. I'm sorry."

Luke doesn't say anything, his attention elsewhere.

"Does he know?" Padmé blurts out. Luke furrows his eyebrows, confused. "Does he know that you're his son?"

Luke slightly shakes his head. He doesn't think that Vader knows the truth. He didn't give away like that, at least he doesn't think so. He has had it buried inside of him for a long time. Vader would have had to dig deep and long to find it. "No. But he knows about Obi-Wan."

Leia nods, understanding. "The last name. What other Kenobi would he know?"

"Vader talked about you," Luke says, looking at Obi-Wan now. Everyone follows his gaze, watching the aged man. "He told me about Mustafar."

His face drops and pales. "He told you?" He asks with a faint quiver.

"Well, not told." Luke tries to correct, shaking his head. "He told me I had to ask you. He said that I needed to find out for myself who you really are. He wants you to tell me about Mustafar."

Obi-Wan lets out a sigh, pressing the side of his head to relieve the pain. He doesn't like to think about Mustafar. He refuses to talk about it with anyone. The memory of what happened there is only allowed to haunt him at night. To hear it spoken out loud makes him almost physically ill.

"What happened on Mustafar?" Luke softly asks, seeing the effect it's had on the room.

"Luke, don't ask that." Padmé immediately scolds as she rushes to Obi-Wan's side. She knows what happened. Obi-Wan had confessed it all to her a few nights after the twins were born. She has come to terms with it now. She had to in order to trust Obi-Wan and move on with her life. The story of it no longer gives her a physical reaction. It breaks her heart to think about the events from the moment she last talked to Anakin to when Obi-Wan returned to the ship.

And though she has forgiven Obi-Wan for what he had to do, she knows that he has not.

For Vader to bring it up is disgusting. To have Luke ask Obi-Wan about it is wrong and makes her want to march to Vader and tell him personally how sick and twisted it is.

"What happened? We need to know." Leia speaks up. Something is not right. Somehow, Vader has hurt them without even being here. And if Vader can ask Luke about it, then they need to know. He has the upper hand on them if they don't learn the truth.

"You don't need to know. Neither of you does. Vader is wrong for even asking Luke to do that." Padmé argues, her voice as cold as ice. She glares at each of them. How can they continue to ask when it's so clear how hurt he is? Can't they see the pain he is carrying with him because of this?

Luke can feel it, the suffering and guilt Obi-Wan is radiating. He doesn't want to ask. In fact, he doesn't even know if he wants to hear the story, but he must. If Vader let him live solely because of what happened on Mustafar, it must be significant to their lives. "Mom, we don't want to ask. I don't even want to know. But what choice do we have? Vader let me live because of what happened there."

Padmé is about to argue, but Obi-Wan beats her. "They're right. It's time they know the truth. They need to know what I did."

"Are you sure?" She softly asks.

He nods, his eyes closed. He allows himself to think back on that horrible day. He can almost feel the heat on his skin. "Your father had fallen to the dark side. I didn't believe it. I refused to think that Anakin had sided with Darth Sidious." He begins. He gulps, his heart breaking inside of him. He doesn't want to continue, but he knows that he must. "I was sent to kill him."

Luke and Leia make eye contact. Obi-Wan was ordered to kill his best friend? He was supposed to kill his padawan, the child he spent almost a whole decade with. How could anyone expect him to carry that out?

Padmé picks up the story, knowing how much pain he is in. "Obi-Wan told me what happened and his mission. I went to go find Anakin and talk some sense into him. As you both know, it did nothing."

"I didn't believe your father had slipped away until I saw it with my own two eyes. The Jedi Knight that I knew had been replaced with Darth Vader." He says, his voice rough. He coughs, trying to clear his throat, but it doesn't work. "We battled on Mustafar. He tried to pull off a tricky move, but I was prepared. I am the reason he is more machine now than man. I cut off his remaining limbs and left him behind."

Luke shakes his head, filled with shock and confusion. His father and Obi-Wan fought. All of his life, he's seen them as this dynamic duo. The bickering was common for them, but a lightsaber battle to the death? After everything they went through together, Obi-Wan hurt his father and left him to die alone on Mustafar. But then he didn't die. If Obi-Wan had completed his task, the galaxy wouldn't be in this mess. "Why didn't you kill him? Why did you leave him there?"

"I couldn't kill him," Obi-Wan replies back, his bloodshot eyes opening to meet Luke's. "When I looked at him on that ground, he was so cold. He was so lost and afraid. He was still my brother and I loved him. I couldn't kill him, even if he had turned to the dark side and hated me. I hoped that the lava would kill him so that I wouldn't have to."

Silence fills the room. It enters with tension and mixed emotions. They are angry at him. If he had finished off Vader on Mustafar, then the galaxy wouldn't be in turmoil. They're upset that he kept this from them. They thought that they were done with secrets. They're sad to know what he went through on that planet. They feel horrible about the final battle and the outcome.

"I understand if you hate me," Obi-Wan says, catching them off guard. His head is low, reminding them of a child being punished. "But know that I tried. I just wasn't strong enough and I'm sorry."

Leia and Luke immediately deny it. He thinks that they hate him? Sure, they're upset about what happened and they're frustrated that they weren't told earlier. But hate never crossed their minds. "No," Leia says, rushing to join her mother at his side. "We don't hate you. We never could."

"We're sorry that the burden fell on you and we understand." Luke agrees. He reaches out, his hand grabbing onto Obi-Wan's. "We just wish that you had told us early."

"I don't like to think about it." He answers. He takes a deep breath, accepting the other reason that kept him from sharing the painful story. He knows that he needs to be honest with them, so he softly adds, "And, I suppose, part of me was afraid that you'd never want to talk to me again if you knew."

"No," Luke says, shaking his head. "We know who you really are. What happened there does not change what we think of you. You are still our Uncle Obi."

"That's comforting to hear." Obi-Wan gently chuckles. Leia wraps her arms around him. She places a soft kiss on his temple, hoping to offer him comfort for words she can't find. He smiles, gently patting her with his open hand.

They are much too kind to him. They might not see him as the enemy, but he believes it. Yes, part of it is Anakin's own fault. He had the knowledge to resist the dark side. He could have denied Darth Sidious and brought him down. Still, Obi-Wan can't help but feel guilty for letting him live. If he had killed him on Mustafar, maybe the galaxy wouldn't be suffering so much.

But if he was given a second chance, he wouldn't change a thing. Even after all that Darth Vader has done, Obi-Wan still loves him.

**~~~~~~~~~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to let you guys know that I am totally okay with constructive criticism. In fact, I welcome it! I am nothing close to a professional writer and I am always looking for ways to improve. If you see something that you think needs fixing or something I could work towards adding, please let me know! Again, thank you guys for all of the support on this book so far!!❤️❤️❤️


	14. Chapter 13

  
Months pass and time seems to heal the fresh wounds. Luke has learned how to control his new hand. Already, it's like he's never lost it. Leia starts to accept what happened to Alderaan, the pain no longer causing physical reactions. She deals with it in her own healthy ways, speaking with others about what she misses. And together, the twins help show Obi-Wan that they do not harbor any hate with him about their father. In fact, they help him begin to forgive himself.

But one thing makes this peace uneasy.

No one has heard about Vader since his and Luke's fight.  
  
Obi-Wan smiles from the sideline, watching the green and blue lightsabers dazzle with each spin and twirl. Leia swipes at Luke's feet with her foot, hoping to trip him like when they were younger. Learning from his past mistakes, he jumps over her foot and lands perfectly balanced. "That move no longer tricks him." Obi-Wan chuckles.

"Maybe not. But it works on everyone else I meet." She counters with a smirk. Luke flips over her, landing behind her. He swings for her waist, performing the move Obi-Wan humbly recounters as his signature strike at killing Darth Maul the first time.

But Leia blocks it. She too knows the story. "Good thing I taught you how to defend yourself from behind." Obi-Wan laughs, watching Luke frown in disappointment. Their lightsabers continue to crackle with each swing.

"Sometimes I wish you hadn't." Luke jokes. They seem evenly matched now. They know each other's moves inside and out. Just when the tide starts to shift in Leia's favor, the door to the training room opens.

"Ben," Padmé calls out. All of them turn and look. Luke and Leia turn off their lightsabers and follow him towards the exit. Whatever is happening must be important. She never asks for his presence in person, especially when they're training. "There's something I want to show you." She says, waving him close to her.

"What is it?" He asks, walking beside her down the hallway. He slips his hands into his robes, his attention on her.

"You'll see." She smiles. The twins share a glance, basically reading each other's minds as they follow the adults into a secluded area. They're in the small garden. The plants are just starting to bloom, their buds beginning to open. The scent reminds them of when they were younger, spending their summers on Alderaan.

Above them, a green and white bird soars.

Weird. Luke and Leia have never seen that species around here before.

At first, they think they are the only people in the garden. Everything is quiet, aside for a gentle breeze that rustles the leaves. The bubbling pond in the center of the garden adds to the noise. Luke is about to ask why they are here when they turn the corner and see someone. They're wearing a cloak, hiding anything about them.

Hearing the group approach, the stranger turns.

It's a Togurta woman. Her skin is orange with white markings and blue stripes. She gasps as her eyes land on them. Her eyes are wide, blinking rapidly as she takes them in. She is surprised at their appearance as well.

Obi-Wan freezes in his tracks. He grabs onto Padmé's sleeve for support. "Ahsoka?" He chokes.

"Obi-Wan!" She cheers with a smile wide on her face. Luke and Leia watch as the two of them rush to meet each other. They embrace in a hug so tight that it almost hurts to look at. Through the Force, they can feel the waves of bittersweetness. Whoever she is, she must have meant something great to Obi-Wan.

They stay in each other's arms for so long that it feels like time has stopped. To Obi-Wan, this feels like a dream. For just over two decades, he's believed that everyone he knew had been killed. Now, he's been granted the chance to be with someone from his past. Someone he cared deeply for. "All this time, you were alive?" Obi-Wan asks, his voice hoarse.

"I tried to reach you." She cries into his shoulder. She thought she would never see him again. She believed that he was truly gone. "I meditated constantly, trying to feel for someone I knew. There was nothing. Everyone was dead, even you. I couldn't feel you. I felt so alone."

They pull apart and share a laugh. "But here you are. You are alive. I never thought I'd see you again." She smiles, wiping underneath her eyes with the back of her hands. He grins back her, also wiping away his tears. His familiar waves through the Force remind her of a time long forgotten. Back when she was just a padawan learning underneath two of the best Jedi in the Order.

Both of them know that they look like a mess, but they don't care. Finally, they have each other again. They are together at last. "I think of what I would have said if I knew that would be the last time a lot. You are so grown up from then. I almost didn't recognize you." He chuckles.

"You've changed too." Ahsoka smiles as she touches his gray hair. Just his presence is enough to make her feel confident again. She remembers all that he did in the Clones Wars. His bravery and wisdom helped her survive for this long. "Master Obi-Wan, I've missed you. Very much."

Obi-Wan nods, agreeing. He softly awes as he remembers the others in the room. He wraps his arm around her shoulders and turns. "Ahsoka, I want you to meet these two trouble makers." He begins. Leia and Luke playfully roll their eyes and step forward. "This is Luke and Leia. They are Anakin and Padmé's."

Ahsoka grins at Padmé. She had suspicions that her master and Padmé had a thing. She didn't know that it went this far, but she's thankful. They are a piece of their father that she's so desperately missed. "Skyguy." She says, pointing to Luke. "And Skygirl." She says to Leia.

"Luke, Leia, this is Ahsoka. She was your father's padawan. The three of us had many grand adventures together. I'm happy that the two of you have the privilege of getting to meet her." Obi-Wan says, gently pushing Ahsoka closer to them. He is eager for them to meet someone he has talked about. All of his stories have seemed like fairytales and now here's a chance to show them that she is real. Ahsoka isn't someone he made up to prove that their father was a good man. She was trained by the once kind Anakin Skywalker and has not fallen to the dark side.

"It's so nice to meet the two of you," Ahsoka says. She stumbles, unsure of what to do. She wants to embrace them in a hug but she doesn't know how they'll react. They don't know her. She didn't even know they existed until now. She begins to hold out her hand to them, but that seems too formal. After all, Anakin was her master and Padmé was one of her closest friends. 

Sensing her hesitation, Luke opens his arms wide. He will show her that they are excited to meet her. "We've heard much about you." He says as he pulls her to him. She relaxes in his arms, glad that they've welcomed her so easily. 

"Have you now?" She asks as she parts from him and goes to Leia.

"Yes. Obi-Wan has told us many stories about you saving our father from his crazy ideas." Leia says, gently patting Ahsoka's back before letting her go. "You kept our father in line plenty of times out on the battlefield."

Ahsoka sends Obi-Wan a playful glare. "Obi-Wan exaggerates. He was the one who kept us in line."

He blows air out his nose, shaking his head. "Anakin never listened to me. You were the one to get through to him most of the time." 

The two of them begin to bicker, giving each other credit that they deserve but won't accept. They start walk side by side out of the garden, Obi-Wan bragging about the twins and asking Ahsoka all about her adventures without him. It's surprising to all of them that she can even get a word in. This is the most they've seen Obi-Wan ramble. Usually, he is a quiet listener, but today he seems like a different person. He can't seem to keep his mouth shut. He wants to know everything.

Padmé and the twins peacefully trail behind them. They watch them converse with happiness. It has been a long time since they've seen Obi-Wan this energic to anyone. It's nice to see him so giddy. It's been a long time since he and Padmé have seen an old face. To have Ahsoka back in their lives brings back bittersweet memories.

Leia taps her mother's shoulder, getting her attention. "How did you find Ahsoka?" She asks.

Padmé slows so that they're out of the long-lost pals' earshots. She tips her head over her shoulder between Luke and Leia. "Ahsoka has been apart of the rebellion since the beginning."

"Then why are we reuniting her with Obi-Wan now?" Luke asks. Why did they keep them apart? It's clear that they should have been together earlier. Ahsoka talked about how alone she felt and Luke knows that Obi-Wan dealt with sorrow in knowing he survived Order 66. Why did they make the two of them suffer for so long not knowing the other was alive?

"There are a lot of branches in this rebellion. There are specifics that I don't know but other leaders might. There are some things that I know that many others don't. This is in case one of us is captured that we are still able to save information." Padmé softly explains. She stops, turning around to fully face them. "When Bail passed, I took over the information he was in charge of. In his files, I found that Ahsoka survived and was helping us from the start."

"So Bail kept them apart?" Leia asks. She pauses, her eyebrows furrowed in thought. It seems out of character for him to keep two Jedi apart. He knew both Obi-Wan and Ahsoka were alive and where each of them were in the galaxy. "What did we have to gain by keeping them separated? Surely Bail knew how much they meant to each other?"

Padmé shrugs her shoulders. "I'm not sure why Bail kept them apart. Maybe he thought that it was keeping us safe. If Ahsoka was to be captured, they could use her to find Obi-Wan, which would ultimately lead to the discovery of you two and me." 

"So it was out of protection that Obi-Wan and Ahsoka had to be separated?" Luke asks, a pained look on his face. He has never liked the idea of others suffering for his sake. "The protection of us?"

Padmé takes a deep breath. "That's my best guess, but we'll never know."

Luke peeks around his mother, looking at the two of them. They haven't even noticed that the pack of Skywalkers stopped following them. They're both trapped in their own world, talking about everything that comes to mind. Luke looks back at his mother, smiling softly. "Well, I'm glad they're together now. It's good that they've been reconnected, even if it's late timing."

Leia nods. "Yeah. I've never seen Obi-Wan like this. It's right to put them together again."

Padmé smiles, looking at them. She touches the rebellion symbol sewed over her heart. "I think so too."

_xxx_

"Oh, Ahsoka," Obi-Wan says, grabbing onto her robes. "You must see how far Luke and Leia have come on their training. The way they handle their lightsabers would make a dewback faint. They are naturals."

"Well, they had one of the best teachers." She smiles at him.

He waves her off. "It has nothing to do with me. They're amazing all on their own. Really, you should see." He insists. He looks over the twins, gesturing to them. "Go on, show Ahsoka what you can do."

Luke laughs, grabbing his from his waist. "Alright. But only because you talk so highly of us."

Ahsoka awes, watching the green light come to life. "I had the same color when I was a padawan."

Leia turns hers on, the blue blade catching their attention. "What color do you have now?" 

Their minds start to race with ideas. It can't be green. Otherwise, Ahsoka would have said so. Leia wants it to be blue, like hers and her father's. But there are so many options that it could be. Obi-Wan told them that Temple Guards used to have yellow ones. Master Windu carried a violet lightsaber, which Luke wishes he could have seen with his own eyes. 

Ahsoka grabs the two from her hips. Leia's eyes bulge from her head. Two lightsabers? Does Ahsoka use two in battle? Suddenly, she only wants to watch Ahsoka fight. Leia doesn't care about showing off her skills. She wants to see how Ahsoka makes her lightsabers work. Is she as good with her left hand as her right? Maybe one is a backup in case she loses the other in a battle. Obi-Wan has always told them to be prepared for anything in a fight.

The white blades buzz on and even Obi-Wan is starstruck. "White blades?" He asks, admiring them. He reaches out, gently touching the handles.

"It surprises everyone I meet." She grins. She hands one off to the old master, letting him ponder over them. 

Though Luke is shocked at her colors, he can't help noticing how confused Obi-Wan looks. He knows a lot about the Jedi and lightsabers. He has admitted plenty of times to them that he doesn't know everything, but Luke thinks that he should at least know about white kyber crystals. "What do they mean?" He asks, curiosity filling him.

Obi-Wan lets out a long sigh, a gentle frown resting on his face. "There was a prophecy about someone using white blades." He begins. He returns the lightsaber to Ahsoka and closes his eyes. He tugs on his beard, deep in thought. "I can't recall it anymore."

"A prophecy?" Ahsoka asks.

"Yes. Master Qui-Gon used to send me to the Archives to read prophecies when I was his padawan. I used to hate them. I wanted to be out flying."

"You? Flying?" Ahsoka teases.

He cracks a smile. "At one time, yes." He says as he opens his eyes. He crosses his arms over his chest. Ahsoka tries to hold back a laugh at him. Though he has changed, his mannerisms are still very much her Master Obi-Wan. "Reading those prophecies are what helped us discover Anakin. If only I could recall what was said about your white blades. Then we could know if it was meant about you."

"Prophecies don't always come true," Ahsoka says, a hint of sadness in her voice. All of them look down, the weight of her words resting on them. No one needs to say who she is referring to.

Wanting to clear the air, Obi-Wan gives his head a slight shake. "I'll see if I can remember it when I meditate later. The twins should show you what they know. And if they feel up to it, maybe you can spar with them. Show them a real fight since I've grown too old." He smiles.

The twins share a smirk then go to their respective sides. They give a bow, showing that they will not enter with anger or hate. They enter as siblings and will leave as siblings. Just as soon as they finish their greeting, Leia leaps forward to get the first hit.

Ahsoka can sense the pride coming from Obi-Wan. Throughout the fight, he whispers to her about each of the twins' fighting styles. He explains moves they had a difficult time learning and ones that came naturally to them.

As he talks, she watches them move with such grace and precision that it reminds her of her master and grandmaster. Luke's style is much more similar to Obi-Wan's, which somewhat surprises her. Upon first meeting them, she assumed he would be the one to turn out like Anakin. Instead, Leia has shown his mannerisms. She fights with power and emotion so like Anakin that they could be mistaken in a field of battle.

"I hate to dampen the mood, but I see that Leia is very much like Anakin." Ahsoka begins. She turns whispering to Obi-Wan over the sounds of the crackling lightsabers. "Does it worry you? Are you concerned about the emotion she puts in?"

Obi-Wan furrows his eyebrows, processing his response. "At first, I was. I watched her closely, looking for any signs of the dark side in her. I watched both of them with that worry in mind." He says, his eyes glancing at the two in the background before meeting Ahsoka again. "But upon seeing her in battle, I know that it's okay. She is much like Anakin, but she does not have his dark traits. Her use of emotion in battles is safe."

Ahsoka nods. She is glad that she was not overthinking what she saw. It's nice to know that Obi-Wan was worried at one point. He has taken his duty seriously, watching over the twins for anything that could be traced to the dark side. Even something as small as how you fight can show early signs of a falling. 

The twins are panting, their lightsabers loudly popping as they try to power each other out. Luke presses his lightsaber down on Leia's, hoping she will surrender. Instead, Obi-Wan interrupts them. "Very good." He quietly nods. They turn their attention to him, stepping away from each other. He begins to falter, swaying side to side. 

Ahsoka reaches out to touch him. "Master, are you okay?" She asks. His eyes flutter and he falls into her arms. "Master, can you hear me?" She asks her worry sending shockwaves through the Force. He is pale and trembling in her arms.

"I just need to rest." He mumbles, his grip tight on her robes.

"Luke, come help me get him the medical bay. Leia, go tell your mother to meet us there." Ahsoka commands. The twins straighten up and immediately carry out her wishes. Leia darts out of the room as Luke rushes to Ahsoka's side. They way they fall into orders is impressive to Ahsoka.

"Obi-Wan?" Luke asks as he takes one of Obi-Wan's arms and slings it over his shoulders. Ahsoka takes his other arm and puts it over her shoulders. He is stuck between the two of them, his body weight equaled out so that he feels light. 

"I just need rest." He repeats, his head hanging.

"Let's walk him to the medical bay. He'll be okay." Ahsoka says, starting to move forward.

"But--"

"Trust me. Trust in the Force. He'll be fine." She declares. Luke knows that's the end of the conversation. He wants to say that trusting in the Force sounds a lot easier than it actually is. He's worried that something is terribly wrong with Obi-Wan. He is afraid of the worst that could come out of this.

Quickly, the medical team works to get the old master onto a bed. They begin treating him, giving him an IV, and checking his vitals. Leia and Padmé arrive soon after, their fear crashing against Luke and Ahsoka like a large wave. 

Obi-Wan's eyes flutter open and he gives them a weak smile. "There's no need for you worry. I'm alright."

"Obi-Wan, you are in a hospital bed. I am worried." Padmé bluntly says, reaching out to grab his hand.

"Oh, I'm alright. These things tend to happen when you get old."

"You aren't that old."

"No, but it feels like it." He says. Everyone holds their breaths, unsure what to say. He has a point. The man has lived through a lot of things no one else could imagine. He gulps, gesturing to the twins to come to his side. Quietly, they sit beside him. "I want you two to go and work some more on your defenses. They looked a little sloppy today."

"Right now?" Luke asks, confused.

"Right now." He nods. They rise, following his instructions. They hesitate in the doorway, looking back at him. "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere. Just go train." He assures, waving them away.

Once they leave the room, he motions for Ahsoka. She bends down close to him, noticing how sick he looks. He is paler than earlier, but he seems a lot more calm. His hands are no longer trembling and his breathing is normal. The heart rate on the monitor beeps out steadily. Based on these signs, she knows that she should not worry, but she does. "Ahsoka, there's something I need you to do."

"Of course, Master."

He lets go of Padmé and grabs her hands. His hands are cold, but she doesn't tell him that. "You need to take the twins to Dagobah. There, you will find Master Yoda. He will determine if the twins are ready for what is to come."

Have the drugs finally kicked in? Master Yoda is alive and on Dagobah? None of it makes any sense to her. And he is going to be the one to determine if the Skywalker twins are ready for what is to come? She saw how Master Yoda treated the last Skywalker. Also, she doesn't even know what Obi-Wan means by his final sentence. _What is to come?_ What does that mean?

"I know you have a lot of questions, but trust in the Force and everything will be okay."

Though she said it to Luke not even a half-hour ago, she doesn't want to believe it. Obi-Wan has to be high off of his meds right now. She is not taking them to Dagobah. She is not going to see Master Yoda, even if he is alive. After all that he did, she's not sure she wants the two of them to ever meet him.

"Okay." She nods. Obi-Wan smiles, closing his eyes. She gives his hands a gentle pat then leaves his side. Padmé assures her that she'll stay at his side until he falls asleep. 

_xxx_

Leia sneaks into Luke's room. She goes to his chest and begins digging. It has to be here. She tosses out his treasured belongings, placing them off to the side so she can find what she is looking for. He hasn't used it in years, but she knows that he hasn't gotten rid of it.

Finally, it twinkles at the bottom. 

She grabs it and holds it in her hands.

She tells herself that it is just as much hers as it is Luke's. She has a right to take it.

She turns it on, the blue blade humming to life and lighting up the room.

When they were first learning how to use lightsabers, they shared their father's and Obi-Wan's. Once they got their own, Leia let Luke keep their father's. She knew that he always felt a bit different than the other boys their age because he grew up without a father. This lightsaber was like a way for Luke to connect with him even though he was not in their life anymore.

A few years ago, Luke decided to only use his own. He didn't want to lose the Skywalker lightsaber. It was an irreplaceable treasure to them. Now, it will come into good use. She wants to learn how to wield it.

Carefully, she places all of his things back into the chest. She quietly sneaks out of his room, hiding the lightsaber in the sleeves of her dress. She politely nods at everyone she meets until she enters the training room.

Ahsoka and Luke are dueling. Luke is learning how to block two lightsabers at once. Their attention is grabbed when she comes to their side. She holds out both of the lightsabers, looking up at Ahsoka. "I want to learn how to use them."

Ahsoka arches one of her eyebrows. "You want to learn Jar'Kai?"

Leia nods her head. "Yes. Can you teach me?" She asks. What a silly question. Of course, Ahsoka can teach her. "Will you teach me?" She flusters, correcting herself.

Ahsoka looks down. "That's your father's." She softly says, taking it from her hands. She studies it, memories flooding her mind. Countless times, this lightsaber saved her life.

Luke tenses, anger radiating off of him. He glares at his sister. She went through his things to find that. It was buried under all of his belongings to keep it safe from anyone who dared to take it from him. "You took that from me."

"It is just as much mine as it is yours." She fires back, tightening her fists. She had thought that Luke would understand. He is her father too. Just because she let him keep it for all of these years doesn't mean that she doesn't want it too. She wants to carry a part of his memory with her.

"No. I don't want it to be stolen or broken. You can't use it." Luke argues as he locks his jaw. He knows that he sounds childish, but he doesn't care. She doesn't know what it means to him. That is the last piece he has from his father. Obi-Wan trusted him to use it and keep it safe. 

Leia is about to shout back at him, but Ahsoka raises her hand up. Both of them freeze, watching her. "I know you're worried, Luke." She begins, looking at him. It's almost startling how much of her old master she can see in his face. "But Leia won't break it. I will teach her how to use them."

Leia feels Luke's hesitation. Though he hides it well, she knows her brother like the back of her hand. She knows that he is worried about the safety of the last thing of their father. She can feel his fear of her injuring herself and him losing both her and Obi-Wan. Though he is angry about her going through his things and taking it without permission, he is mostly worried about her safety while using two lightsabers. They have only been trained to use one and that it is their life. How can she possibly learn how to use two now?

"I can do this, Luke." She says, getting his attention. His blue eyes look to the ground as he frowns. He hates it when she is able to creep her way into his feelings and acknowledge them out loud. He feels that it makes him look weakminded.

"Let's start at the beginning," Ahsoka says, handing the lightsaber back to Leia. "I want to see how you handle holding a lightsaber in your non-dominant hand. If you can't do that, then there's no need to go through the full training of Jar'Kai."

Leia takes her father's lightsaber and twirls it in her left hand, doing complicated spins that most trained Jedi couldn't do without practice. "When Luke lost his hand, Obi-Wan begin training both of us how to use our non-dominant hand. It was to help Luke gain control of his new hand and good practice for me. He said that he was worried that one day, we'll be in battle and we'll lose a hand and be unable to fight with as much strength and confidence as we normally do. He wants us to be as prepared as possible for what might come."

"Then you already have half of the battle done." Ahsoka smiles, thinking about how far Obi-Wan has thought ahead. He was always much more organized than Anakin, planning out backup plans when they were in deadly battles. To train both of them to use their non-dominant hand as well as their dominant was clever planning.

Ahsoka turns on both of her lightsabers. "I'll show you the steps." She says. Leia grins turning on her lightsaber. Already, wielding both of them feels right. To have her father's and hers in her hands feels natural. 

Ahsoka looks to Luke. "Don't think I've forgotten you. Go fetch Obi-Wan's lightsaber. I'm sure he won't mind. I want to teach you too. The more styles you know, the better." She says. Luke nods, rushing off to get the lightsaber. 

Leia smiles at Ahsoka once Luke leaves the room. "He doesn't look excited, but he is. He has always liked using Obi-Wan's lightsaber and he likes learning new tricks. I promise he's just sulking because I thought of it first." 

Ahsoka lets out a soft laugh. "I can't believe I'm teaching you two Jar'Kai. Skyguy would kill me if he ever found out. He didn't think it was as superior as the styles he and Obi-Wan used." 

_xxx_

The hologram brightens, the blue light expanding in the dark room. He falls to his knees, bowing his head. "Master." He breathes, acknowledging his presence.

"Lord Vader." Darth Sidious growls. Vader lifts his head, looking up at the disgusting creature in front of him. This thing's wrinkled face and hunched body almost make him scowl in disgust. Of course, he can't express this feeling. There is a problem with the mask blocking his face. And second, if his master ever found out how he truly felt, there's no telling what sort of punishment he would receive. "Have you discovered anything about our special padawan? Has he helped you to discover the man who betrayed you on Mustafar?"

Vader locks his jaw, his heart filling with anger at the thought of Kenobi. "No, my master. My men are currently on it. I believe they have discovered some information that will lead us to both Kenobi and Amidala."

A sick sort of smile grows on the old man's face. "That's good news. Soon, you will have your revenge on the ones that hurt you. You can destroy the man who attempted to kill you and the woman who claimed to love you."

"Yes. I have been waiting a long time for this moment." 

Darth Sidious's smile drops for a second. "And if you find anything about Kenobi's padawan, tell me immediately. I sense that he could be turned to our side. Yet again, Kenobi has trained us another suitable apprentice to the dark side. Sith lords do seem to be his specialty. "

"Yes, my master."

"Soon, the padawan will reveal himself to us." Darth Sidious darkly chuckles before the hologram hums off. Vader is left in silence and darkness. Sidious plans to turn the padawan to the dark side? That wasn't what they originally discussed. They wanted to end him, sensing that he had a much bigger role in the galaxy than Kenobi had any idea.

Vader tightens his fists. No. He won't tell Darth Sidious about him, at least not yet. After everything that has happened to him, Darth Sidious doesn't deserve to know about this. What he has uncovered belongs to him only.

How could he have been so blind? All of it is so painfully obvious. He should have known the first moment he laid eyes on the boy. He should have seen how familiar his face was. Vader stares at the holodisk, trying to bring the pieces together. 

How had he missed the second heartbeat when he held his hands on Padmé's stomach?  
  


**~~~~~~~~~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please excuse any grammar mistakes for the time being! I had a bunch of family things come up this week so I only had about two days to write and proofread this chapter. I'll be checking over this chapter again over the weekend to hopefully find all of the flaws I might have missed. Thanks!


	15. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I don't really have to explain myself, after all, it is my book. But I would like to say that I'm sorry if there's not a lot of political stuff or like battle plans or things along that line. Truth be told, I really don't know all that much about it and I don't really have the time to google everything to make sure it's all correct. But that being said that doesn't mean there's no action!

"That's enough for now." Ahsoka slightly pants. Luke nods in agreement. He turns his lightsaber off and returns it to his hip. He then runs his hand through his blond hair, making it stick up. Because Obi-Wan has fallen ill, Ahsoka has taken over training the twins. She thinks that they are practically perfect, their moves swift and tactful. She can't quite wrap her head around why they fret over their skills so much. It's almost obsessive how much they train.

Leia wipes the sweat from her forehead. "I think I need to work more on defending with this second saber. Do you mind watching me?" She asks, looking up at Ahsoka. Leia took quickly to Jar'Kai, easily wielding the lightsabers like extended arms. Luke was not as successful, choosing to stick with what he had basically mastered before Ahsoka came along.

"Sure," Ahsoka says to Leia. She returns her sabers to their place, watching the young woman move through each step with determination and purpose. Leia's eyebrows furrow, her face showing her intense concentration. She allows herself to get lost in the Force and her movements.

Why are they so set on getting each move right each time? Yes, Ahsoka understands that one wrong step could mean life or death, but even at their age she wasn't so dutiful in practicing her training. Of course, she was raised in the Temple and did have to deal with the fallout from the rise of the Empire. But these two have resources of other protection besides their skills with a lightsaber. They've been training with Obi-Wan since they could probably toddle. Their mother is fiercely protective, making sure that nothing can hurt them, even on this secure base.

Why do they go through this effort of fighting when there are other paths?

She has a feeling the answer lies in what Obi-Wan told her the day she came. It's the only thing that has floated in and out of Ahsoka's mind for weeks.

_He will determine if the twins are ready for what is to come._

Ahsoka told Obi-Wan that she would take them to Dagobah, but she still hasn't. She most likely won't if she's being honest with herself. Master Yoda was a great Jedi, filled with wisdom and great skill. But she doesn't think that he should be the one to determine if they are ready for whatever Obi-Wan has in mind.

 _For what is to come._ What does that mean? Do the twins know what it means? Ahsoka has been debating with herself over asking them about it. They seem to know about everything else. From what she can tell, Obi-Wan and Padmé told them about their father and his falling. Maybe they can help fill in the gaps for her.

"That looked great, Leia." Ahsoka smiles as she finishes. Leia brightens, turning off her lightsabers.

"I wanted to end on a good note." She says with a soft pant.

"Show off," Luke mumbles under his breath, receiving a playful shove from his sister.

Ahsoka says nothing, becoming lost in thought again. Luke can sense her worry and confusion. Again, his strong ability to connect with others through their emotions tugs at him. He grows curious, wanting to know what is bugging her. She is not like her usual self. "Ahsoka, are you okay?" He asks.

She hums glancing at him. Just by looking into his eyes, she knows the jig is up. He can sense her hesitation and probably won't let the conversation drop until she spills. At least, that's what she would do if her master was acting as she is. "I have a question for the two of you." She says, standing a bit straighter.

"Of course. What is it?" Leia asks, eagerly stepping forward. She would do anything to help Ahsoka after all that she has done for her. She didn't have to teach her Jar'Kai, but she did. She didn't have to continue working with them after Obi-Wan fell ill, but she did. Whatever Ahsoka is worried about, Leia wants to help get rid of it. She owes her that at the very least.

"The day Obi-Wan got sick, he mentioned something to me. He said that you two were training for what is to come." She slowly explains. She watches and feels for any change in their mood, but there's nothing. Instead, they are their normal, calm selves. "Do you know what he means by this?"

They share a look. Luke pops one of his eyebrows, seeming to ask if they should tell her. Leia gives one hard nod, agreeing with whatever he asked. It must be a silent language they've developed over the years. They look back at Ahsoka, Luke taking the lead. "Obi-Wan feels that we will be needed when the times comes for the Sith to fall." He says. "He has been training us to fight them off and end them."

Ahsoka's eyes bulge from her head. He has been training to end the Sith? To kill their father? "He's been training you to kill Vader and Sidious?"

Leia takes a deep breath and nods her head. "He believes that this is what the prophecy meant. Our father was called to bring balance to the Force. He didn't do it himself, but rather through us. Obi-Wan thinks we will do what he could not."

Ahsoka lightly shakes her head in shock. It doesn't feel right, none of it. He believes they are going to be the ones to end Death Vader and Sidious? And he's told them this? Does he know the pressure that he's placed on their shoulders? Does he understand what he is asking them to do?

Ahsoka doesn't think so. She's starting to think that the trauma Obi-Wan has endured over the years has fried a few wires in his brain. After all, can someone really go through all of that loss and pain and still be the same stable person? The answer is no. She herself isn't the same person after everything she's endured and she feels that she has not experienced half as much sorrow as him.

But how can he still be focused on the idea of a Chosen One after the fall of Anakin? And how can he just transfer it onto Luke and Leia? He must know how it affected Anakin. Isn't he afraid that this theory will affect them also?

Luke senses Ahsoka's growing anger. Something they have said has upset her. His own hands start to tighten and he has to force himself to put up shields to block her feelings. He can not let her anger at whatever was said make him feel the same.

He's about to say something when Ahsoka narrows her eyes at them. "Training is finished for today. Get some rest." She says. Luke and Leia give her a respectful bow and she leaves. Immediately, they begin to chatter, guessing what they could have done to make her so mad. Was it their skills today? Maybe it's the mention of their father. Many people who know his fall seem to feel anger towards him.

_xxx_

Ahsoka takes deep breaths, trying to calm herself before she reaches his room. She tries to remember that this Obi-Wan is not the same that she knew all those years ago. This Obi-Wan has been forced to put behind everything he's ever known. He had to feel his friends dying just as she did. He had to watch his padawan, his best friend fall to the dark side.

She must remember that when she asks him what the Siths hell was going through his mind when deciding to train the Skywalker twins in ending their father.

She enters the room, her heart lightening just a bit at the sight of him. She still isn't used to the fact that he's alive. His Force signature wraps around her, welcoming her. He gives her a half-smile. "You're upset. I can sense it." He says. He pats the chair to his right, gesturing for her to join him.

She sits, biting on her lower lip. What is she supposed to say? She originally wanted to come in here and blow up in his face about everything that he did wrong, but now that doesn't seem right. Obi-Wan is much wiser than her. After all, she didn't even make it to Knighthood. She left the Order for Force sakes! Besides that, he clearly only wants what's best for the twins. It's obvious that he cares deeply for them.

"What's wrong?" Obi-Wan asks with a sigh. She looks at him, still unsure what to say. Again, he flashes her a smile, a hint of playfulness in it. "Come on, you should know by now that I don't bite. You're more nervous now than when we first met on Christophsis."

"That's surprising. I was deathly afraid of meeting the famous Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. You two were well known in the Temple. Younglings talked about you nonstop." She says, trying to clear the conversation away from why she was originally here. After letting herself calm down, she's uncertain how to feel. Should she really question his judgment? He's had over two decades to figure out how to raise the twins. She's only just met them!

"Don't do that." Obi-Wan playfully scolds as he waves a finger at her. "I'm the master at steering clear of unwanted topics. Come on, say what's on your mind. Let me have it."

Giving in, Ahsoka scowls. She glares at the floor. The anger from before start to reappear inside her. "Luke and Leia told me about what you have in mind for them. You think that they are going to be the ones to end the Sith."

"This upsets you?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because you can't put that on them," Ahsoka says, her emotions starting to blow. "They are just kids. You want them to go and kill their father. You've been training them to do this for years and they don't even seem the least bit worried or afraid."

"Darth Vader is not their father, they know this."

"The whole thing is complicated." She fires back. "Anakin was their father, but he fell to the dark side. So now he's just nonexistent? I mean, that's still technically him. That's technically your padawan and my master. I can wish it wasn't as much as I want, but it doesn't change anything."

Obi-Wan is silent for a moment, watching her. "Yes, I suppose you're right." He agrees, looking down at his hands. "But this is what they were called to do. I don't like any more than you do, but I felt that they needed to be ready. They needed time to learn and accept what will eventually happen. I've prepared them as best I could, but it's all on them."

Ahsoka feels her anger slowly drifting away. Obi-Wan has a point. If he knows that it'll happen, why not let them get ready mentally and physically? But Obi-Wan is not their father. He is not their primary caregiver. "What does Padmé think of this? This idea of them running off to sacrifice themselves to end the Sith and the Empire?"

"She doesn't like to think about it," Obi-Wan admits. "It took years for her to allow them to even hold a lightsaber. She begs for something or someone out there to finish the job so her children won't have to, but it seems unlikely. Happy endings don't seem to come our way most of the time."

A buzzer begins sounds, catching their attention. Ahsoka rises, but Obi-Wan grabs her hand. "I know you didn't take them to Dagobah." He shouts over the loud noise. She freezes, expecting him to scold her as if she was a padawan again. Instead, she sees a mix of fear and sadness in those familiar blue eyes. "I trust that you were right about them being ready. Because now is the time. This is the moment that they have been preparing for."

_xxx_

Though the two of them have no idea what they're in for, they are ready for what is to come. They are willing to fight for the freedom of the galaxy, even if it means losing their lives or each other.

Leia makes sarcastic side comments, wanting to say anything to keep a conversation with Luke. He doesn't say much, only giving her half-hearted chuckles or smiles. But that is enough for her. That is Luke. He's quiet and attentive. If she survives the battle ahead, she doesn't want to be filled with regret about not spending every last minute enjoying her time with her brother.

Luke doesn't want to talk about the thought that he might lose her. He doesn't want to think about the fight ahead for them. Though he's been training for it for years, he's worried that he still isn't ready. He's worried that he will fail and the galaxy will be lost, forever in the hands of Emperor Palpatine. He's afraid that he will lose Leia because of his incompetence. 

Side by side, they march to the meeting room. They hold hands for a moment, giving each other one last squeeze of encouragement. They catch everyone's attention when they enter, making the room fall silent. Their mother folds her hands over her stomach, watching them with sadness and fear. She too knows that this battle might end with tragedy. She could lose this rebellion. She could lose her children.

She could lose everything.

The twins glance around the room, looking for familiar faces. Ahsoka stands proudly beside their mother, giving them a wink. Wedge and Valora sit near the front, worry etched in their faces. Though they do not know what is ahead for the Skywalker twins, they know that it will be something bold and valiant. They know that the two of them can be reckless, willing to do anything for the good cause. They only hope that this will not be the last time they are all together.

Padmé blinks, going back to the matter at hand. She can not let her personal feelings get in the way. Everyone is risking their lives for the good of the galaxy. Rebels have pledged themselves to do what is necessary to free this galaxy from the turmoil of evil. She must give out the plans and lead this revolution with everything they have. "Captain Solo and Calrissian, I need you to take the Falcon. You will assist Wedge, excuse me, Commander Antilles, in blowing up this half-finished Death Star. Once you hit it, you need to leave immediately. We saw how quickly the first one exploded. You will have little time to make it out alive. Please, move with haste back to us."

"Of course, Your Highness." Han nods. Chewbacca growls in agreement. Padmé allows herself a small smile at him. When she first met Han, she had her reservations. He was still in debt to Jabba and seemed to be all about himself. But upon watching him and getting to know him, she learned that it was nothing but an act. And even though Leia gets upset over the idea of the two of them dating, Padmé wants her to take a chance with him. She trusts him.

Padmé puts her attention on her children. They're the only two that haven't been given their orders yet. She bows her head slightly, not wanting to look into their eyes. She can't bear to send them off to a battle that could end in their demise. "Luke and Leia, you are to go to Endor. There are ground troops being sent under the command of Ahsoka. Vader and his men are there. Together, the two of you are to finish him as our troops take control of the command center there."

This is the time. After all of these years, they will have a battle against their father. It's happening so soon that none of them feel anything but numbness. Today, they will see if their training has paid off.

"Okay." Leia quietly replies.

"This is it. Today, we will take back our galaxy, our homes. We will bring back democracy. Together, all of us will prove that we are not mindless beings. We are people with feelings, with valuable lives. We have opinions and should be allowed to express them. They can not just treat us like the dirt on the bottom of their boots. Today, we will rise in the flames of the Death Star. We will watch the Empire fall!" Padmé shouts, rallying her troops.

Everyone lets out cries of agreement. They leave to take their places for the battle, their spirits lifted higher than ever before. Today, they will win! No longer will their cries of pain be drowned out. No longer will they suffer in silence. They will defend themselves and bring order to the galaxy!

Just as the last person exits, Padmé grabs both of her children. She pulls them tight, holding them because this might be her last time. She lets go and looks at each of their faces. How are these the babies she bore on that asteroid? They look so much older and so brave. No longer are they the tiny humans she held in her arms and swore to protect. Rather, they are now going to protect her and the galaxy from further suffering. "I love you." She whispers, knowing she might never get another chance to tell them.

"We know," Leia replies. "And we love you too."

Both of them place a kiss on her cheeks. She chuckles, the gesture meaning more to her than they can ever imagine. "You're the best mother anyone could ask for," Luke adds.

She blinks back tears. "And you're the best children a mother could ever dream of." She says, holding back her sobs. "I know that you two will do what is right. You are strong and brave and I am so proud of you. You will both come back to me. I know it." She adds, touching the symbol of the rebellion over her heart.

Neither one of them believes her. The chances of both of them surviving Vader is slim. But they don't want to crush her hopes. Besides, isn't hope what got them this far? She had hope that there were people out there who were willing to stand up to the Empire. She had hope that one day, democracy would come back.  
  
  
 _xxx_  
  


They ride down in a shuttle, floating past the blockade on Endor. They know what's down below. They can sense his dark presence. Which means that he can sense them. He's waiting for them. He too knows what is to come. Has he been preparing for it?

If he has, their only hope is that he underestimates their power. When together, Luke and Leia become a force no one wants to mess with. They've trained side by side for years, building a bond through the force that even the sharpest blade couldn't cut. And now that they have Ahsoka by their side, she'll aid them in the battle against the dark side. 

Orders are given out. Ahsoka calls them out, directing her people where they are needed. She is somewhat shocked at how easily this position comes to her. The power and confidence in her voice reminds her of her master. As much as she wants to forget it, the Clone Wars have brought her a sense of wisdom in tactical fighting. 

Dusk settles on the planet. The tall trees cast eery shadows. The camp is being set up, but it doesn't bring much comfort to the troops. Luke and Ahsoka can sense the unease and fear of the unknown in everyone. This attack is supposed to destroy the Empire. But what will happen if they fail? What will happen to the rebellion, to their families?

Bushes rustle around them, sending a crash of alarm through the Force. Immediately Luke and Leia ignite their lightsabers. People's eyes widen at the sight of the mysterious blue and green blades. There have been tales of peacekeepers carrying such weapons. What were they called? Where have they gone?

When did the Skywalker twins get the mesmerizing swords of light?

"Up there!" Leia shouts, pointing to the tops of the trees.

Everyone's gaze follows her direction and they see it. Creatures let out loud whoops and fall from the sky on top of their camp. Everyone scrambles to find their weapons to defend themselves from the furry beings. They were expecting an attack from the Empire. What are these things?

"Ewoks!" Ahsoka calls out. She ducks, dodging one of their flying rocks. "They think we're here to hurt them. We need to show them that we're on their side!" 

"How are we supposed to do that when they're hurling boulders at us?"

Ahsoka makes a move to approach one of the trembling bears before being struck. She groans, falling to the ground. Her head begins to spin as she touches her temple. Already, it's swelling. Not good.

"Ahsoka!" Luke shouts out. He rushes to her side, grabbing her hand. He looks her over. She seems fine, but he's not a doctor. 

"I'm alright." She answers over the noise. Then she feels a shiver of cold. Fear. Anger. Hate. It looms in the distance like thick fog. It calls for them to enter. It wants them to disappear into the mist.

"He's here." Luke says as he snaps his head to look in the direction. He can feel it too. He recognizes the suffocating Force signature. His gaze falls to his replacement hand, the memory taking over his thoughts.

Ahsoka squeezes his hand, bringing him back. "Go. I'll be right behind you. The troops can handle the Ewoks."

"Are you sure?"

Ahsoka gives a stern nod. "It's time."

Luke feels his chest tighten. _It's time._ But he doesn't feel ready. He's been putting on an act, fooling himself into believing that he was prepared. Now, he wants to sink into the darkest shadow and ignore the Sith lord waiting for him and his sister. Some part of him tells him that this is another vision. It's not real.

"Luke, it's him," Leia says. She bounds over to him and Ahsoka. "We have to stop him."

But this isn't some vision. This is very much real. Vader is here and he is waiting for them. "Let's go." He quietly says.

They leave Ashoka's side, rushing through the forest. Once they're gone, Ahsoka allows herself to lay back down. Maybe if she just closes her eyes for a minute, everything will work out. Yes, closing her eyes feels good. Sleep invites her to relax. What about her troops? No. They will be fine. Sleep sounds lovely.

_xxx_

Maybe Luke and Leia should be sneaking up on him. That would be the most practical move, right? Maybe they could surprise attack him, catch him off guard. No. He can sense them just as they sense him. Their best option is to gather their courage and ready themselves to fight him.

They stumble into a small clearing of trees. The force is strong with the dark side here. They can feel it seeping out through the trees and the grass below them. They can sense that it's a trap set by Vader. Yet neither of them makes any attempt to run. Rather, they step farther into the clearing, the moonlight now touching their skin.

Waiting in the shadows, they can make out his shape. The rounded mask is illuminated by a blinding red light. The bond between Luke and Leia heats with anger. Leia snatches her lightsabers from her hips, gripping them tightly as she locks her jaw. Finally, he makes his appearance. She's been waiting to meet him face to face again for a long time.

Luke, on the other hand, bites the inside of his cheek. He rolls his lightsaber in his hand, his emotions colliding with Vader's and Leia's. He has to put up his shields, building them higher and higher in order to try to keep them out. He's worried. He's afraid.

As if sensing his fear, Obi-Wan rings out in his mind.

_There is no emotion, only peace._

"Darth Vader." Leia spits. She takes a step forward, her head held high. Luke has to admire her confidence. They haven't even begun to fight him and already she looks so valiant. She truly looks like the Jedi Obi-Wan and their mother spoke proudly of.

"Princess Leia. What an honor it is to meet you again." He says. The volume of his breathing increases as he slowly marches toward them. In the moonlight, he can see the traces of Padmé in her. The jawline and mesmerizing hairstyles are shockingly similar. Even the way she stands reminds him of the woman he loves.

Then he looks at the boy. Luke. Of course, he can see Padmé hidden in his face. But that's not what draws him in. Though his shields in the Force are built tall and sturdy, he can feel the power. He can sense the want to bring justice to the galaxy and the determination to do what is right.

Luke's heart begins to beat rapidly inside his chest. Though it's very faint, he can feel the conflict. Vader is a being of hate and suffering. He is the very embodiment of what the Jedi should not be yet Luke can sense a tiny flicker. Who it's for Luke's not entirely sure. Vader's wife? His children?

Wait. His children?

He knows. How he knows, Luke hasn't got a clue.

He looks to Leia, but she shows no sign of this knowledge. Her eyebrows furrow over her dark eyes and she ignites both of her blue blades. She flows into her defensive form, indicating that she's prepared for Vader to make the first move.

He looks back at Vader. Luke hasn't spoken yet. Does he bring it up? Does he call attention to the fact that Vader knows their secret and might possibly care? Before Luke has a chance to even debate about it, he senses what Leia is planning and the Force seems to tremble out in warning.

She glares at Vader, anger filling inside of her. She wants revenge for everything he has done. He destroyed Alderaan without a second thought. Vader killed Bail, her father figure without a feeling of remorse. He took the galaxy's greatest hero and blew him up. Vader took their mother's heart and smashed it into a million pieces. He destroyed a religion that wanted nothing more than to help people. He tried to kill his best friend.

And he has the guts to stand here in front of them.

She lets out her battle cry and dives at him. Her mad swings make a blue haze around her. Luke can't tell who is on offense and who is on defense. Crackling and popping fill his ears as blue and red collide. He wants to join in and help her, but how does he do that without hitting Leia?

Through the blinding spins, Luke sees Vader swing at Leia. She lets out a loud cry as she holds onto her shoulder. She falls to the ground, rolling away from his jab toward her other uninjured arm. She makes it to her feet and stands far enough away to avoid any of his attacks. Her shoulder burns, but it's not enough to stop her from fighting. Adrenaline kicks in and the pain seems to dull. 

She looks to the ground, realizing she dropped one of her lightsabers. Before she call it back into her hand, Vader force pulls it to him. He looks it over in his hands, seeming to study it. Shockwaves of pain rumble from him but Luke seems to be the only one to feel it. Something haunts him and Luke shivers from it.

"Where did you get this lightsaber?" He demands, gripping it tightly.

"It's none of your business." Leia immediately fires back. Of course, that had to be the lightsaber she dropped. It was one thing that Luke had begged her not to lose and she handed it over within her first fight using it.

"It belongs to me! That makes it my business." Vader fires back. He brings his hands up, making a move that Luke knows all too well. Leia starts to float in the air, her hands moving to her throat.

"Obi-Wan," Luke shouts out. Vader stops and looks at the blond boy. He almost forgot he was here. He hasn't moved from his position yet. He assumes it's out of fear, but he can't sense it. He sets Leia back on the ground. What is this boy doing? "Obi-Wan gave it to us." He clarifies.

"It wasn't Obi-Wan's to give," Vader replies.

Luke gnaws at his lower lip. He can feel it. Somehow, he can sense the shift in the dark being in front of him. Whether it's good or bad, Luke can't tell. He knows he shouldn't say it, but now is the time for desperate attempts. Maybe he can catch him off guard and Leia can make a shocking move to knock him down. "I did as you asked," Luke says, trying to find something to distract Vader.

Vader straightens. If he wasn't wearing a mask, Luke would see a smirk. The topic intrigues him. He didn't think the padawan would have the guts to ask Kenobi about that day. "And what did you learn?"

Luke takes a deep breath. He glances at Leia. He hopes that she sees what he's doing. He then looks back at Vader. "What happened there was not his fault," Luke says. He can feel his emotions leaking out from his shields, but he makes no attempt to try to lock them up. He hopes the fumes will bring something out. "It wasn't your fault either, Father. You just wanted to save the people you loved."

Luke feels the shock from Leia through the Force. "Luke, what are you doing?" She asks. How could he give up this information? They've been hiding it their entire lives. They've had to keep it a secret from everyone, even their best friends to ensure it wouldn't get to Vader. Now he's just handing it out? 

"He already knows, Leia," Luke answers, looking at her. "I don't know how, but he does."

He knows. 

Leia looks at Vader, grief and rage bubbling up inside of her. How long has he known? Did he know when he took her captive? Did Vader kill Bail knowing that he had taken the place of her father when he fell to the dark side? Did he know that he was making his daughter suffer by having her watch the planet she considered her home blow up into tiny pieces?

Tears begin to cloud her vision. She feels betrayed by him. Even when Vader knew of their connections to him, he still chose to leave them. He chose the dark side and its powers over their family. She lifts her remaining lightsaber over her head and charges for him. Vader quickly blocks it. Their battle is short-lived. Leia becomes unbalanced as she lets her emotions get the better of her. Before Luke can do anything to save her, she's picked up through the Force. Her fear startles Luke as he watches Vader throw her against a tree. A loud crunch echoes as she hits the dirt ground. She groans, reaching out to hold onto her wrist.

It's broken. It dangles in the air at an awkward angle. She can no longer use it.

Luke turns to Vader. He feels flames of hate and anger dancing inside his stomach. His chest tightens and he grips his lightsaber so hard that he's afraid it might burst. He flicks it on, the green light brightening under the starry night sky. Vader hurt Leia. He hurt their mother. He hurt Obi-Wan. 

How is he their father?

No. Luke was wrong. He isn't their father.

This is a machine that replaced their father years ago. Their father is dead and Vader is the one that killed him. 

With that thought in mind, Luke charges at Vader. A green blade against a red. Good against evil. Father against son. They battle throughout the forest. Luke slices down branches, force pushing them to crash against his enemy. Vader pulls his free hand to his chest, causing the trees above Luke to snap in half and tumble to the ground with loud rumbles. 

As the fight continues on, their feelings start to clash. Their shields crumble to nothing with each use of the force. Luke begins to feel the intense fear locked between each metal joint. He can sense the anger trapped inside the black mask, trying to escape through the red glass over his eyes. Hate is being released into the air with every bone-chilling breath.

But buried deep down, hidden underneath the dark clothing and venomous words, Luke feels suffering. It's woven tightly into the beast's heart. With each beat, new pain is brought upon him. Yes, this savage feels physical pain. His limbs have been replaced with metal ones and some machine has taken the place of his lungs.

But his suffering comes from what has happened to him. The loss of his mother, wife, and brother. Vader mourns his old life and what he did. That's all he thinks about every waking second. And every time he closes his eyes to sleep, it haunts him. He can never escape what he has done to the galaxy and what shame he feels for the misery he brought to the people he loved.

Vader force pushes Luke to the ground. He towers over him, his red saber buzzing above his head. Luke flails, desperately trying to remove his limbs from the dirt-covered ground. Luke is going to be the one to die in this battle. He will not be coming back to their mother. 

"Luke!" Leia cries out, watching it unfold. Waves of fear and sadness erupt from her like a volcano. It's so powerful that Luke's surprised that he didn't physically react with it. Vader turns to look at her, clearly sensing her emotions. As he's distracted, Luke takes his chance. He swings at the hand holding the lightsaber. Vader groans, his sliced metal hand sizzling on the ground.

Luke quickly stands up and kicks Vader to the ground. He presses his foot onto Vader's chest, preventing him from moving. He raises his green lightsaber over his head, ready to deliver the final blow. Now is his time to end this battle once and for all. Finally, all of his training has come to the outcome they wanted. Vader will die and Luke will live. He takes a deep breath, pulling his weapon back a bit farther.

But then he stops.

He still feels that flicker.

He shakes his head and throws his lightsaber to the ground. He removes his foot from Vader's chest, taking a few steps back. 

"Luke, what are you doing?" Leia exclaims, watching his lightsaber roll away from him. She doesn't understand what is going on. That was the perfect opportunity to kill Vader. Why is he throwing away his chance of destroying the Empire? Why is he opening himself up to be attacked? Vader still has her second lightsaber. He can easily attack Luke now that his only weapon is out of reach.

"I can't kill you," Luke pants, his fists tight at his side. He can't do it. He won't do it. 

"Then you are a bigger fool than I thought." Vader spits back.

"I can't kill you, Father." He says, his body beginning to tremble. The emotions coming from Vader and inside himself are almost too strong for him to handle. The flicker burns at Luke, calling for him to kindle it. It wants him to tend to it and help it grow. He can't ignore it, not when it's this powerful. "I can feel the conflict in you. Let go of your hate!"

"It doesn't work like that, boy."

"Yes, it does!" Luke insists. Tears prickle in his eyes and he's not sure if it's because of Leia or his own emotions. "Just take my hand. Together, we can correct what has been done to the galaxy. We can end all of the pain you've given everyone. I can help you overcome the suffering you have deep inside."

"You don't know me. You don't know what I've been through." He snaps. How can Luke possibly know what he feels? He doesn't know what he has lived through. He doesn't know the pain he's caused. "My suffering will never go away."

"It can!" Luke shouts. Why is he ignoring that flicker begging to be set free? Doesn't he feel the intense heat coming from it? "All you have to do is show them what I already know. Show them that there is still good in you."

"You are wrong. There is no good in me."

"Stop. Stop now. Come back!" Luke exclaims. And Vader freezes. Those words. He heard them so long ago. She too begged for him to join her. Just as Vader thought, Luke carries her determination. Her passion lies in this boy's soul. Luke reaches out to him, his hand looking so inviting. "Come with me. Come see her again." He softly says.

Leia gawks, watching the scene unfold. What is happening? What is Luke talking about? He can't possibly be offering Vader this opportunity. After all that he's done, how can there be any good left in him? Luke is falling for a trap. He's setting himself up to be betrayed.

"She will never take me back," Vader says, his gaze dropping. How could she after all that he's done? Padmé will never forgive him. And he does not blame her.

"Yes, she will." Luke nods. "She loves you."

"You think that after all I've done she'll accept me? Do you honestly think everything will somehow turn out okay? How can you possibly believe that she still loves me?"

Unable to stop them, tears trek down his face. The feeling reminds him of when he was young and he connected to his mother through the Force. Somehow, an emotion overpowers his fear of the unknown and he understands that he has to let Vader know. "Because I love you!" He cries out. "I love you even though I know everything you've done. I know what you did to Obi-Wan! I know what you did to my mother, your wife! I know all of it and I still choose to love you."

The air is still. Leia watches as Vader takes Luke's hand. And she thinks that it's possible. Somehow, Luke has gotten through to him. Somehow, he has brought their father back to the light.

Then blaster fire rains on them.

Stormtroopers blast at them and Vader snaps back to himself. "You are a fool if you still think that she'll take me back. Even if I wanted to, I can't. There's a reason she's still alive that you can't begin to understand."  
  
Luke and Leia duck their heads, covering themselves from getting hit. Through all of the blaster fire, they call their weapons to them. Rather than ignite them and defend themselves from the men in white, they tuck them into their clothes.

"I want them alive," Vader growls as he turns on the lightsaber. The blue blade throws him off guard for a moment. Without resisting, Luke and Leia allow handcuffs to be snapped onto their wrists. Leia lets out a soft whimper. Her wrist aches and the way they are handling her doesn't help. What is she supposed to do with a broken wrist? "Take them to my shuttle." Vader declares. 

So they are dragged off. 

In the distance, they hear the shouts coming from their camp. If it wasn't for the distraction of Luke and Leia, then Vader would have stormed the camp, killing all of their men. At least some lives were saved tonight.  
  
 _xxx_

Ahsoka stirs, her head groggy. "Commander, are you alright?"

One of her troopers shakes her awake. His brown eyes search her face, looking for confirmation that she is still willing to fight. She grips his hand, beginning to stand. Her thoughts start to come back to her. Ewoks attacked the camp. Luke. Leia. Anakin. "Where are the Skywalker twins?" She demands.

"Unknown, sir. We lost them during the fight." He answers, his voice crisp and urgent. He looks around, damage evident to the camp. But the fighting has ceased. Somehow, they have made peace with the furry creatures. 

"We need to find them," Ahsoka demands, thinking of the children placed in her care. She begins to send out search parties, but she can sense that something is off. She should be able to feel their Force signatures nearby, but they are distant.

The darkness is gone as well.

The realization hits her hard. She brings her comlink to her lips. "Padmé, are you there? Padmé, come in!"

"I'm here, Ahsoka. What's wrong?" Padmé replies. Ahsoka can hear the undertone of worry in her voice. To a stranger's ears, she would sound confident. But Ahsoka knows her better than any stranger. She is afraid.

"Vader took the twins." She says. She feels her heart cracking, but she must tell her. "I can feel that they're off-planet. I can only assume that he's taken them as prisoners. I'm so sorry."

Padmé is silent for a few moments. Then her voice crackles back. "They know what to do. I trust them. Now you need to place that trust in them too. You can't help them in this fight any more than I can now."

**~~~~~~~~~~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one more chapter left!!


	16. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I literally wrote all through last night and woke up this morning freaking out because I hadn't finished this yet. So if you see any grammar mistakes, I'm sorry. I didn't give myself enough time to reread this chapter to correct everything. Still, I hope you enjoy it!

Luke quickly rips off the bottom of his shirt. Though Leia protests, he uses it to wrap around her broken wrist. They've been taken to the Death Star. They haven't been told much, but from picking up hints it's because Vader needs to fix his hand. Until he returns, they are stuck in a secure cell, stormtroopers flocking their only exit. There is no chance of escape, even for them.

Leia is silent, watching Luke attempt to fix her wrist. She lets out small gasps, pain zapping her every time he moves her wrist. Her fingers feel numb, but at least she can bend them. She could hold something if she had to. But the thought of swinging around a lightsaber makes her body shudder. She can't use that hand anymore unless she's desperate. The pain would be too much.

"There. When we get back, you'll have to go to the med bay, but this should make it sturdier." Luke says as he tightens the wrap. He's right, it does feel better to be wrapped up. But again, it's practically useless to her. It will do no good in a lightsaber fight.

A lightsaber fight that is bound to happen because Luke didn't kill Vader. He gave up his chance, throwing his lightsaber away. She pinches her eyes shut, shaking her head at him. She can feel his confusion through the Force, but she's upset with him. "Luke, what were you thinking?" She scolds.

"What do you mean?" He asks, tilting his head at her. "I know I'm not exactly a doctor, but this should at least--"

"Not with my hand." She scoffs. She scowls, feeling herself growing angry with him. "With Vader. What were you thinking on Endor? Why did you let him live? Why didn't you finish him off like we've been told to do?"

"I wasn't thinking. I was feeling." Luke spits back, narrowing his eyes at her. He slightly backs away from her, hurt starting to rise off of him. Why is she mad with him? This isn't exactly his fault, it's the Force's fault. If it hadn't shown him that the was still some good in their father, he would have finished him off. Doesn't she understand that? "Can't you feel the hate and pain inside him? Can't you see how it's tearing him apart at the seams? Don't you feel the shame he radiates?"

"No. I'm not like you." She replies, looking away from him. "You connect with people and their emotions so easily. It's not like that for everyone. You know that it's not like for most people!" Not everyone has the privilege of letting the Force speak to them. Luke can let it guide him into people's souls, seeing them for who they truly are or what they can be. Not Leia. That aspect of the Force has never come to her. She is more rational. Luke is the dreamer of the two of them.

She frowns, growing upset. It's not like she could connect with them even if she wanted to. She's been coerced to ignore that calling in the Force her entire life. "Besides, I can't afford to connect with people and try to cater to their feelings. The things I do for the rebellion doesn't allow me to take that risk. If I did, do you know how many people's lives I could put in danger? I have to shut myself off to them and what they are feeling to do what needs to be done."

Luke looks down, fidgeting with his clothing. She has a point, but he doesn't want to admit it. She has been made to ignore other's feelings, making her seem coldhearted. Plus, for some Force forsaken reason, he seems to express everyone else's emotion so intensely. Maybe what Vader feels is only noticeable to him.

"My missions and yours have never been anything alike." Leia quietly adds, stepping toward him. "Mine are watched by the Empire. I know how they work, I've seen what they've done to planets and to the innocent lives living there. I have to tune out their emotions if I want to keep myself sane."

"I know, Leia," Luke says, looking back at her. "But my missions also involve working with others through the Force. I have to trust what it's telling me and it's saying that there is still good in our father. It wants me to bring him back."

"You think we'll even get that chance?" She fires back. "I know what is going to happen next. We aren't going to get some trial. We are going straight to Sidious and he is going to kill us. He will not hesitate to destroy us because he knows who we are and what we are capable of."

"And we've been trained to kill him. We can finish him once and for all." Luke counters.

Suddenly, the door bursts open. Leia is enveloped in intense cold, fear, anger, hate, and suffering. She shivers, turning herself away from the door.

But Luke stands tall. The flicker warms him, calling him closer.

He is not afraid.

"There's someone who requests your presence." Vader declares.

Without hesitation, the twins follow him out into the hallway. They communicate with each other through their bond. Leia begs Luke to not do anything irrational and he tells her not to worry. He has everything under control. He knows what he is doing.

She trusts Luke, but she is also preparing herself for the worst. In one outcome, Luke dies. In another, she dies. If she does die, which she hopes she doesn't, she wants to know why. Why did her father fall? Why did he leave their mother if he truly loved her?

"I don't understand." Leia declares once the three of them are alone in an elevator.

"What don't you understand?" Vader asks.

"Why you did it?" She replies. "Why did you turn to the dark side? Why did you kill off the Jedi and betray everyone who ever cared about you?"

Vader is silent for a moment and Luke wants nothing more than to tape his sister's mouth shut. What is she doing? What is she thinking? Is she trying to make Vader made so that what little light is left in him will disappear forever?

"The dark side is a path to many abilities some consider to be unnatural." He says. They wait for him to add more, but nothing comes.

Leia groans. That's not enough for her. "I was told that you used to love my mother. This doesn't feel like love to me. I think that if you ever loved her at all, you would see how much this hurts her."

"It's easier to hate someone you can't have." He replies back, leaving it hanging in the air.

Leia and Luke share a glance, finally understanding. No matter what their mother has said, she does not hate Vader. She is just doing what is easier for her heart. How can she possibly allow herself to love someone she can no longer hold? How is she supposed to care for someone who is on the wrong side?

By making himself believe that he hates her, he can carry out whatever his master wishes.

By making herself believe that she hates him, she can do what she needs to do to destroy the Empire.

_xxx_

Padmé bursts through the door. Obi-Wan's eyes open, straining to look at her. A bit of guilt eats at her for waking him, but she pushes it aside. She has concerns that matter more than waking him. She stands above him, slightly tipping her head upward to look at him from over her nose. "Vader has taken them."

His face drops. He gulps and turns his head away from her. "I know."

Of course, he knows. He seems to know everything about her children. She knows he's been given the answer through the Force. In times like this, she wishes she was blessed with higher abilities of the Force. Then maybe she would know what he mumbles on about. Maybe she could have trusted her children more when she sent them off.

She wants to ask when he planned on telling her but knows now is not the time. She sniffs, blinking back tears. She is supposed to continue with the plan. This rebellion rests on her shoulders. She can't be putting everyone's lives at risk for two people. Not even for two people who mean more to her than all of the stars in the universe. Her rational side demands that she can't put them above everyone else.

But her motherly side begs her to stop. They are her babies. The idea that they are going to die at her hands makes bile rise. She knows that she has to remain strong for the rebellion, but how can she turn a blind eye to the danger her children are in?

"What am I supposed to do?" She asks. She coughs, trying to hide the lump in her throat. She takes a deep breath, forcing herself to breathe normally. She can not look shaken. She can't let anyone know that she's afraid, even Obi-Wan. She must remain the headstrong leader of the rebellion.

"You continue with the plan." He answers, concern washing over his face. She's wearing a mask of confidence. He can feel the swirling emotions of fear, sadness, and pain inside of her. It's building like a hurricane off of a coast. She can not ignore it or she will drown in the flood to come. Why is she hiding this from him? Doesn't she trust him to know her true feelings? Doesn't she know she can come to him as a confidant?

For a split second, her mask falls. Her lips purse and her eyes drop. She expected him to tell her to stop. She wanted him to tell her that they need to find a way to rescue Luke and Leia. She knows how much he loves them. He would never have her do something that could kill them. But instead of telling her to back down, he's told her to ignore them. He wants her to push on even though Luke and Leia could die.

Maybe he doesn't understand. After all, being in this hospital bed can't be good for his mind. He probably thinks they're captured somewhere on Endor not off-planet. He must believe they're out of harm's way, safe in a prison. "Luke and Leia are there." She slightly stutters. She gulps, regaining her stern voice. "They could die."

She watches fear flash over his face. She sees sorrow build up in his glassy eyes. So he does know. He understands that her plan could destroy two of the things she loves with all of her heart. "I know." He says, blinking back tears. "But we have to trust them. We have to trust in the Force."

"Why should I?" Padmé shouts back. "After all the Force has done to us, how can you trust in it? It took away your Order. It destroyed my husband. I can't let it take away Luke and Leia! I can't lose them."

"I understand where you're coming from, but you can't feel it the way I do." He fires back. He starts to sit up, but Padmé presses him back down. He gives her a glare of protest but obliges. "There's been a shift. Something is happening. Something has changed."

Her eyebrow arches. "Something good?"

"I can't quite tell." He quickly says. He fidgets with the end of the blanket. "I am assuming it's something good. There's nothing telling me it's bad."

Padmé falls into the chair beside him. She should go back to her station. They need her advice on how they should push on. They're waiting for her commands. But she must know. Before she does anything rash, she needs to know if her children will be safe. "Obi-Wan, an assumption is not enough. I need to know."

He closes his eyes. For a moment, the room is silent. All she can hear is the rhythmic pounding of her heart. What can he sense through the Force? Will it show him a vision of the future? Perhaps it is telling him that they are in danger and need his help. She watches a gentle smile make its way onto his face. Slowly, his blue eyes open. "It's good. You need to follow the plan. Everything will be alright."

Her rational side begins to scream at her. Why should she trust him? How could he possibly know if it's good? The Force was covering Palpatine's signature for years. How does he know it's not hiding the darkness again? Plus, he's not exactly in his best shape at the moment.

But the hope that her children are safe cause her heart race. All that matters is that they are okay. She must believe that he knows what to do. As long as she can secure that she won't kill Luke and Leia, then she will push on with their attack on the Empire. "I'll go tell them to continue as planned then."

She rises and quickly makes for the door. She's not very sensitive to the Force, but he tugs at her. Something is amiss. She thinks about the way he looked when he closed his eyes. He was so peaceful. Stopping, she glances over her shoulder. No. He is too comfortable in that bed. He was too secure when meditating in the Force. "Don't even think about it." She declares, marching back to his side.

"What?" He asks, tilting his head to the side.

"I see it. I know what you're thinking." She says, beginning to scold him. After everything they've gone through to get to this moment, he can not back out now.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He says. He thinks he's playing it off, but she can hear it in his voice. He's been caught and knows it.

"You can't leave me. Not now." She commands. A lump forms in her throat but she swallows it down. "I see that look in your eyes. You were far too comfortable while in the Force. You're planning on leaving me."

"No." He says with a light sigh.

She shakes her head at him. "I can't be here alone, Obi-Wan. I need you here with me at least until they are back in my arms. Until then, you don't have my permission to die." She says. She needs him here with her. He has been supporting her for so long that the thought of him disappearing scares her. And it hurts too. He doesn't want to see the result of what they have working for decades on? Doesn't he want to be here when Luke and Leia return?

He is awestruck, unsure what to think. How did she know? He opens his mouth to protest, but she cuts him off. "And don't give me the excuse that you don't have a say in the matter. I know how stubborn you are. You are staying here with me until it's over. I will drag that bed out into the command center and watch you if I have to."

He smiles softly at her. "Please don't." He says, giving a chuckle. He will do his best to stay here as long as possible. Besides, he doesn't really want to go. He still feels like he has much more life. There are so many things that he wants to show Luke and Leia once they'll be free to roam this galaxy. "I won't go anywhere until you've given me the go-ahead."

She gives him a stern nod like a mother to signal that the conversation is over and what she says is final. She gives him a glare, the telltale sign that she'll be back to check on him and make sure that he's following her rules.

Once she leaves, Obi-Wan sighs and closes his eyes.

There's so much life he has left to live.

But he knows that his time is coming to an end.

_xxx_

"Master." Vader greets. His children stand on either side of him. Both of them can feel the thick cloud of darkness surrounding Darth Sidious. It has stained his soul, acting as a black hole. It sucks in everything that could ever hold any good and destroys it.

"Good, Vader. Bring them closer. Let me see the apprentices Kenobi groomed for us." He darkly chuckles. Vader gives each of them a slight shove, forcing them to stand closer to him. Luke feels his stomach churn as he feels Sidious's eyes study him.

A scowl forms on the wrinkled creature's face. "No. He's too tainted. It will take too long to get him to understand why we're right." He says. He looks to a Leia and an uncomfortable smile creeps onto his face. Using the Force, Sidious raises Leia up from the ground. She grunts, trying to free herself from his grasp, but it's useless. "Yes, this one will do. Look at her fire, her anger! She will make a suitable apprentice."

"Leia, my master?" Vader asks, turning his gaze off of Luke and onto his daughter. He feels something inside of him tighten as he watches her struggle against Sidious's power. He wants to stop it and pull her back down. Watching Sidious toy with her makes him angry.

Sidious lifts her to his side, tossing her onto the ground at his feet. "Yes. You can't deny how much potential she has. Kenobi has neglected to groom her emotions as he did with that one." He snarls, pointing to Luke. "The problem with him is that he refuses to use his anger and hate. But she has conflicted feelings. These feelings are natural, dear. Give into them. Then you will see how wrong your master was."

Vader looks back at Luke. "Then what do we do with him, Master?"

"You know the rule, Vader." Sidious spits, hunching his back. "Only two. No more. No less. Finish him."

"No!" Leia cries out. She begins to move to her feet, but Sidious picks her up and throws her again. "Quiet, girl. You must see that it's worthless. I will keep you here, even if it means taking drastic measures."

Leia grunts, rolling onto her back. She pulls her head up, narrowing her eyes at the wrinkled excuse of a human. "And you must see that I don't care what happens to me." She fires back.

She jumps to her feet, igniting the lightsaber hidden under her clothes. She bolts forward, ready to strike the final blow at the monster in the dark robes. Before she can make contact with his hunched body, lightning flies out and hits her square in the chest.

She groans, falling onto her back. With the wind knocked out of her, Sidious force pulls her lightsaber from her. He runs his scaly hands over the hilt. "This means something to you, doesn't it?" He asks a twisted grin appearing on his face.

Leia remains silent.

"You made this." He continues. He looks away from her, watching the fight happening outside the large windows. "Your mother is there, isn't she? Fighting another useless fight that will end with another huge loss."

"You don't know my mother. She still has a few tricks up her sleeves." Leia spits.

"Ah, my darling. But so do I."

xxx

Luke scrambles backward, his hands somehow finding his lightsaber. He ignites it, his gaze never leaving the soulless red glass. "You don't have to do this."

"You don't know the power of the dark side. I must do my master's biddings." Vader rumbles back. He feels that tug again. It pulls him to Luke, an ache that seems to only be tended to when the boy is around. It wants him to build on something buried deep inside his soul.

He doesn't want to kill him. Luke is his son, his and Padmé's. Why would ever want to destroy anything that could be hers? Why would he want to lose the first thing that is finally his? Luke is everything that he could ever hope for in a son.

But what choice does he have?

If he ignores his master's commands, he runs the risk of losing Padmé. Which is more important to him? The one person he has ever truly loved with his whole heart or the result of that love?

It seems like Sidious has already made the decision for him.

"Don't you get it?" Luke shouts, tensing his shoulders. "Sidious doesn't care about you anymore. He has Leia and that's his only priority. You and I are nothing to him."

"You still don't understand, child," Vader says. He swings his lightsaber but Luke dodges it. "I've come to terms that I'm nothing to him. I've seen all of the apprentices he has tossed aside over the years. I aided in ending one!"

"Then why follow him? Why do you continue to be a pawn in his games?"

"It's the only way to keep her alive." Vader breaths. Luke feels the flame inside of Vader. It wavers and Luke is unsure whether it is growing or dying out. Either way, his mother moves something inside of him. "I pledged myself to his teachings as long as he kept her alive. He's keeping his end of the bargain so I must keep mine."

"My mother." Luke gasps. "Sidious is keeping her alive?"

"And if I don't do his bidding, then he will kill her," Vader says. He begins to swing again, narrowly missing Luke. "So you must see that I can not disobey him without killing her. Her life rests in my power and I will not be the one to allow her to die!"

"So you're just going to let him take Leia and kill us both?" Luke shouts back. "Don't you see that there is no winning in either situation?" He swings are Vader. The green and red blades pop and crackle as they make contact. "If we take him out together, we can save both Leia and my mother."

Vader snaps his lightsaber, causing Luke to falter. He stumbles to his knees, his lightsaber slipping away from him. Again, the red blade rises above his head. "Father, please!" Luke begs, watching the red light hover above him. "You're a good person, don't do this!"

"No, son. I'm not. Not anymore." Vader replies, feeling something break inside of him. He closes his eyes, bringing the lightsaber down to meet Luke. He doesn't want to see it. He doesn't want to hear it. If he closes himself off, maybe he won't even know he killed his son.

"No!" Luke cries out, watching the red blade chop towards him. He rolls away, heading towards Vader. As he misses the swing, Luke grabs onto his hand. He opens his mind and falls deep into the Force.

He begins to crawl into Vader's emotions, seeking for that small flicker. Though it's dull now, he grabs at it and begins to comfort it. He thinks about all of the times anyone has ever shown him love for his father.

Vader gasps, shocked at the imagery Luke is giving him.

_"I was your father's padawan. He used to call me 'Snips.'" An older Togruta woman says. Ahsoka. It's Ahsoka. He's can recognize her from anywhere. "He was a great master, and I miss him dearly."_

_She thought he was a good master? Even after everything he did? Even after having to suffer with him through the Clone Wars?_

_"He was the best star pilot in the galaxy." An older man says. Vader has to study the man for a while to finally understand that it's Obi-Wan. His hair is no longer that familiar shade of red, rather it's gray. "And I loved him very much. He was my best friend." He adds a tone of sadness in his voice as he reaches out to pat his shoulder._

_He truly did love him? That wasn't something he just said to try to bring him back?_

_"Master Ani was very important indeed. Without him, I wouldn't even exist." C-3PO says as R2 chirps beside him. Small arms wrap around the gold plated protocol droid then around the painfully memorable blue Astromech. R2 lets out loud praise, leaning into the hug. "Yes, and Artoo is correct. You look very much like he did."_

_Then the one person he's been so afraid to see finally makes it way into his mind. "Your father was a good man. He cared deeply for everyone and always wanted to do what's right." Padmé says. She reaches out, running her fingers through what must be Luke's blond hair. "Though he is no longer here, I think about him almost every day. He would have loved you just as much as I do!" She grins, squeezing Luke tightly._

Luke opens his eyes, exiting the Force. The flicker is now turning into a flame. Its bright light is growing, warming every dark corner in sight. He looks up at his father, trembling as he holds on tight to him. Has Luke finally been able to reach him and bring him back?

Vader looks down at his son's face. "I'm sorry." He rumbles.

Luke shakes his head. "Don't say you're sorry." He says. "Help me rescue Leia and defeat Sidious. Then I'll know that my father really is back and that he's the man those people loved and spoke of so highly."

Vader reaches out with his free hand. He helps Luke to stand and together they march over to Sidious. Now, it's three versus one. This fight will end just as quickly as it started.

"Vader, why haven't you destroyed the boy? You know what needs to be done." Sidious growls.

Without any warning, Vader ignites his red blade, stabbing it through Sidious. The old man begins to choke, feeling where the blade hit him. But it isn't enough to kill him. He begins to fire bright bolts of lightning at Vader. The metal, acting as a conductor, begins to electrocute him.

"No!" Luke shouts out, his feet frozen in place. He can't move. He can't think. All he feels is his Vader's force signature beginning to tremble. After everything he's done to finally get his father back, Sidious is going to take him away.

Leia snatches Luke's lightsaber from his hands. She marches up to Sidious and before he can react, she slices off his head. Vader falls, catching himself on the chair as Sidious's body tips over.

He's dead. The dark cloud that hovered over him begins to disappear as well. The Force feels lighter than either of the twins have ever known. How much darkness could one being hold inside themselves?

Leia looks back at them. "Someone had to save our skins." She declares, gesturing to Sidious's body. If she didn't react, then who would have? She had to stand up and protect her father.

Luke rushes over to their father. He holds onto him, looping his body underneath him to keep him steady. His breathing is uneven, sounding ragged in the suit. Luke is worried that Sidious did more damage than they can repair.

"Let's get to the shuttle. We need to get him to the medical bay." Luke says. Leia loops her body underneath his other side and together they work their way to the hangar bay. The ship is in chaos, everyone fretting over what to do about the incoming attack from the rebels. The shields are down, thanks to Ahsoka and the ground crew. 

They shove their way into Vader's shuttle. Luke runs to pilot the ship out of there as Leia stay with their father. "Leia," He says, catching her attention. She feels uncomfortable and awkward. Of course, this man is her father, but he's also done terrible things. This is the man that they've heard nothing but bad things since they were born. She is starting to think this is some weird dream. Is she going to wake up at Sidious's feet soon? "Help me take this mask off."

She begins to stutter unsure of what to do. "But you'll die." She finally says.

"I think that's going to happen anyway." He replies. So she follows his instruction. She feels like she's moving on autopilot. She feels numb and confused. Why is she helping him again? Why did he help them? What did Luke do while she was battling Sidious? 

She feels lost if she's going to be honest.

"You look just like her," He whispers, a sad smile on his face. "When I first looked at you, I knew you were your mother's. Everything about you screams her name." He says. He begins to cough then collects himself. "But I didn't believe you were mine. I thought, 'How could a young woman this strong, this selfless be mine? How could she have a father like me?'" 

Tears well in her eyes. Even though she doesn't really know if this is him, it hurts her. To hear from someone that she is strong and selfless makes her feel good. To know that she is like her mother brings a smile to her face. "Thank you." She says, grabbing his hand.

He looks around, his blue eyes searching for something. "Your brother." He says. "Where's Luke?"

"Flying the ship." She answers. Maybe this really is him. This must be her father, right? "He really likes it, you know? Everyone always told him how much you liked flying." She adds, saying the only thing that comes to mind. For years, Obi-Wan bragged about how strong of a pilot their father was. It seemed like fate that Luke took to it so easily.

"Tell him to come here." 

Quietly, Leia rises from the ground. She explains that their father wants to see him. Luke frets that he's needed to fly, but Leia assures him that she can handle it. She wants him to have this moment with their father before it slips away.

Luke kneels on the ground, taking in his father's now shown face. "You were right, Luke." He says. He lets out a fit of coughs then gains his composure. "Somehow, you knew how to bring me back."

"Training, I think." Luke answers. "But the Force told me what to do. It showed me how to revive the good still inside of you. It just had to be coaxed out."

"Listen to the Force." He smiles. "Trust in the Force. It'll do you good. I know it."

Quickly, Leia lands the shuttle as Luke continues to speak to their father. Guilt gnaws at her insides. She knows that she should be happy to be in her father's presence. After all of these years, he's here with them. But after everything he's done, she's not ready to forgive him. It feels wrong to be mad at him for what he's done but she can't control herself. She thinks about the people who he's hurt and she feels for them. 

She feels conflicted, just as Sidious told her she was. 

Ignoring her emotions, Luke and Leia work to get their father out of the ship. Running to meet them, Padmé immediately begins kissing them. "You're okay. I knew you'd be okay." She frets, tears running down her face.

"Padmé."

She freezes.

It's been so long since she's heard his voice.

"Ani?" She asks, now noticing him. There he lays on the floor between Luke and Leia. He's scarred, his face hardly recognizable. His helmet is gone and now she can see those blue eyes. Looking into them reminds her of times long forgotten.

She drops to the ground, her hands trembling as she grabs his head. She pulls him to her chest, hugging him close to her heart.

"I know you can't forgive me for what I've done. But I want you to know that I'm sorry. Truly and deeply sorry." He says, pinching his eyes closed. Her hands run over his head and he's soothed. When's the last time anyone has shown him affection? This feels so foreign but good. How he has missed her.

"I know you are." She replies back. She stifles a sob, holding him tighter. This is her Ani. This is the man that she's bragged about to her children. This Anakin is their father. She always knew that somehow, someway he would come back to her.

"I love you. I always have." He croaks.

"I love you too, Anakin." She says without hesitation.

And at this moment, Leia finally understands what Luke meant. She can feel the flicker, now bonfire, inside of their father. Being in their mother's arms, it burns brighter and hotter. The feeling of it through the Force is so strong that she almost has to cover her face from him. Even closing her eyes isn't enough. It's like staring into a supernova.

"I have to go." He says.

"It's okay." Padmé nods. She presses her forehead to his, holding him. "You're going to be alright. It's time for you to rest, Ani."

And they feel it. The bright supernova begins to disappear but the warm feeling that he brought remains with them. Leia walks over to her mother, gently grabbing onto her shoulder. She looks down on her father's face resting in her arms. Yes, this man did terrible things. But he died as the man their mother talked endlessly about. He left them as the person their mother loved more than humanly possible.

Luke jumps and Leia and Padmé look at him. "What's wrong? You're pale." Padmé instantly says.

"Nothing."

Padmé places a kiss on Anakin's forehead then rises. She gently lays his arms over his chest then walks over to Luke. "You're not yourself. Tell me what you're feeling."

A frown appears on his face and Leia senses the fear and sadness radiate off of him. "It's Obi-Wan. Something's happening to him."

Padmé nods. "I told him to wait." She mumbles under her breath. "Stubborn old man can't wait more than five minutes to meet him."

"What?" Luke asks, stepping forward. He couldn't understand what she was saying. Something about him being stubborn? What has happened since he and Leia left for Endor?

"Come on. We need to go. I'll have someone take care of your father. It'll be alright." Padmé says. Quickly, the twins nod and rush off to Obi-Wan's room. Leia doesn't feel it, but she knows that something bad must be happening to the old Jedi for Luke to be acting this way.

_xxx_   
  


"Obi-Wan," Luke says, rushing to his side. His hand takes his, holding onto it tightly. He looks worse than anyone led on. He's pale and much thinner than when Luke last saw him. His breathing is ragged, looking almost painful. His hands tremble in Luke's.

Luke squeezes them, fear striking his heart. He's afraid of what is going to happen next. He's afraid of what is to come.

"Luke," Obi-Wan says, his smile reaching his blue eyes. He is overcome with emotion, looking at the boy he helped raise. Back when he was just a child, everyone was so afraid that he would turn out like his father. They saw the similarities in the two of them and tried to ignore it. But Obi-Wan imbraced. He encouraged him to be free with his emotions and that saved the entire galaxy.

It also saved someone Obi-Wan loved very much. Someone who meant everything to him. Someone he missed dearly.

And he is so proud of Luke for what doing what he could not.

"I did it," Luke says, holding back tears. He is trying to be strong but it feels like someone is squeezing the air out from his lungs every time he tries to breathe. He can't cry, not in his final moment with Obi-Wan. He must push through. "Leia, she was there too. Both of us fought Vader and Sidious. All of those hours of training finally came to good use. Without you, I'm not sure we would have survived."

"You're being too kind." He chuckles. He's sure the training helped, but that's not why Luke and Leia survived. He sits up, a fit of coughs raking his body. Luke leans in close, his heart cracking inside. "The Force works in mysterious ways. With or without me, you would have completed your destiny."

"Then I'm glad that the Force allowed me to learn from you," Luke confesses, the pressure building up behind his eyes. He can feel it, Obi-Wan's tremor in the Force slowly fading. Luke knows that he's dying but he doesn't want to accept it. What will he do without Obi-Wan?

"Thank you for giving me a second chance after my failure." He replies back, his voice going hoarse. He tries to clear his throat. Padmé quietly leans over, brushing his hair from his forehead then giving him a sip of water. Throughout the room, Luke can feel their sadness growing stronger by the second. They know it too. Soon, Obi-Wan will no longer be with them.

He searches for what he wants to say, knowing that time is running out. He's worried that he won't find the right words. Obi-Wan can't die now. Everything is finally looking up. The rebellion has finally won the dragged out battle against the Empire. Vader and Sidious are no more. Obi-Wan should be allowed to celebrate this victory with him, Leia, and their mother. He should get to spend more time with Ahsoka to make up for all of their lost years.

Instead, he won't get to reap what he rightfully deserves. All that he's done will go practically unnoticed. His work in the Clone Wars, his survival of Order 66, and his duty in the rebellion will not be recognized by more than four people. He'll leave this world and not get to see how beautiful the galaxy is now, how free it finally is. "Please. Don't go. Don't leave me." He begs, unable to stop his tears from streaking his cheeks. He squeezes Obi-Wan's hand with almost all of his might, hoping that somehow that will keep him here.

"Luke, I am not leaving you," Obi-Wan says. He can feel Luke's fear and sadness. He wishes that he could have more time to assure him that everything will be okay. He doesn't have to worry about him. He reaches out, his shaking hand cupping Luke's face. With his thumb, he wipes his tears away. "I will always be with you. It'll just be in a different way than we're used to."

"But I don't want it to change, not yet. Everything is happening so fast." He cries as he pinches his eyes shut. A few sobs rake his body. Just moments ago he lost his father. Obi-Wan leaving him too seems unfair.

"You did a good job, Luke. You did the unexpected and I'm so proud of you." He continues. Luke opens his eyes, not wanting to forget this time with him. Obi-Wan takes a labored breath, almost forcing himself to continue. "You saved him. And now, it's time for us to finally be reunited."

"How did you—"

"I felt it. His tremor in the Force for just a few moments. I felt Anakin." He explains, tears welling in his eyes. His body still has goosebumps from the experience and the thought of how happy Anakin must have been to see his children and Padmé. "And I knew that you and Leia had succeeded."

Obi-Wan's smile is happier than Luke has seen in years. Pushing aside his own emotions for just a moment, he feels the gladness Obi-Wan is radiating. It's like stepping into the beaming sun after hiding in a cold shadow. Everything is warm and good. "Just because I'm on my way out doesn't mean that I'm not still attuned to the Force." Obi-Wan chuckles.

But Luke doesn't join in. He can't even think about laughing at a time like this. So instead, he says the only thing repeating in his head. "I love you."

Obi-Wan softly smiles. "I love you too, Luke. We'll be seeing each other again very soon. Everything will be alright."

Not wanting to ruin Luke's final moment with Obi-Wan, Leia remains silent beside her mother and Ahsoka. She knows how much she would have wanted to have just one minute with Bail before the end. So she lets Luke take all of Obi-Wan's remaining time even though she wants to speak to him too. She lets him mourn with his exemplar in peace.

Though Obi-Wan would never admit it, she knows that he has always held a special spot for Luke that no one else could ever replace. Obi-Wan loved her greatly, and she knows this, but it was never the same as his love for Luke. They had a bond that she never quite had with him.

And she's okay with this because she had Bail.

And Luke had Obi-Wan.

As Obi-Wan closes his eyes for a final time, Leia comes over and presses a kiss to his forehead. She hopes that this gesture is enough to let him know that she will miss him and that she loves him. His smile brightens for a second and she feels a connection with him. She knows that he received her thoughts.

Without another sound, he disappears into the Force.

Luke stands and cries into his mother's shoulder. Leia turns to Ahsoka. She feels the tears welling in her eyes and she's afraid that she might overstep her boundaries with her father's padawan. Almost as if Ahsoka could read Leia's thoughts, she pulls her in for a hug.

Though their hearts cry out in sadness Luke, Leia, and Ahsoka can still feel him. They know that he is one with the Force and is still with them. They know that he is not alone wherever he has gone. They feel his immense happiness just before it disappears into the Force surrounding them.  
  


_xxx_

** YEARS LATER **

Padmé sits on her porch listening to the rushing of the waterfalls in the distance. She closes her eyes, thinking of one of the times she was near them. She was wearing her yellow dress, tumbling in the tall grass with her bodyguard. She was sent away to be safe with the boy that was always on her mind.

A landing ship gets her attention, taking her away from one of her long lost memories. C-3PO shuffles to her side. "Princess Leia and Captain Solo have just arrived." He says.

"Thank you, 3PO. Tell them I'm on the back porch." She says, smiling up at the gold plated droid. He gives a slight bow then rushes off to greet her guests. He's been her trusty sidekick for many years now. After the fall of the Empire, he was going to be sent away on another mission but she requested that he joined her in retirement on Naboo. He's earned his rest just as much as everyone else.

Running footsteps make Padmé rise from her chair. She kneels close to the ground, a grin wide on her face. "Gramma!" They shout. A toddler comes tumbling to her arms, her chubby legs carrying her as fast as possible. She stumbles a few times, but not enough to make her slow down.

"Annie." Padmé coos, hugging her granddaughter tightly. She runs her fingers through the child's dark brown hair and rests her head on her shoulder. "I'm so happy you're here." She says, standing up to hold the child on her hip.

"I've missed you," Annie replies. Her sticky hands eagerly touch Padmé's face. Padmé laughs, knowing that Annie is so full of excitement that she doesn't know how to express her happiness properly. She tugs on the japor snippet around Padmé's neck, holding it close. She has always loved that carved snippet for whatever reason.

"I've missed you, too," Padmé says, taking her two small hands and holding them close. "How was your trip? Did you fly in your daddy's big ship?"

Annie nods her head, her giggles echoing loudly in the courtyard. "Daddy and Uncle Chewie flew us as fast as possible. He let me use the hyperdrive!"

"No! You're too little! You can't do that!" Padmé playfully gasps, making Annie squeal and nod her head fast.

"Daddy let me! He did!"

"Oh, well, I'll just have to have a talk with him. You're much too little." She says, bopping her granddaughter's nose. Annie laughs, cuddling close to her.

It's been a few months since Padmé last saw Annie. It's interesting how similar she is to both Han and Leia. She has Leia's dark hair and Han's smirk. She has both of their fire and stubbornness. But one thing that surprised them all is her stunning blue eyes.

"Hello. Sorry, we're later than expected. The meeting went long but I'm sure you know how that is." Leia happily sighs as she and Han enter.

"I know exactly how that is," Padmé says as she gently places Annie on the ground. "It's so good to see you again." She says, pulling her daughter in for a hug.

"It's good to see you too." Leia chuckles.

"Hi, Han." Padmé greets, giving him a small wave over her daughter's shoulder.

"Hey." He replies with a quick smile as he hikes Annie onto his shoulders. "How's Naboo been?"

"Quiet." She answers, folding her hands over her stomach. "But a good quiet."

Suddenly, a very familiar blue astromech strolls onto the scene.

"Artoo-ie!" Annie squeals. She tugs on Han to let her down. She scrambles to the droid, hugging him tightly. "Artoo-ie, you're here!"

"I see, Artoo gets all of the attention." Luke chuckles as he joins the group.

"Uncle Luke! You're here too?" Annie asks, holding her arms out for him to pick her up.

"Of course. I love getting to see you." He smiles as he tosses her into the air. Once Annie's laughs die down, Luke looks to the others. "What time are we planning on leaving? There are a few things I want to check out here before we go."

"I don't know. I'm assuming we should leave here fairly early tomorrow morning. Ahsoka made it seem like it was very important." Leia answers as Han pulls her to his side.

"Where are you two going off to now?" Han asks.

"Dagobah. Ahsoka said there's someone there we would like to meet." She answers. She slightly sighs, shaking her head as Luke holds Annie upside down. She looks to her mother, continuing the conversation. "I haven't got a clue who could be on that snake-filled planet, but they must be interesting if Ahsoka wants us to come."

"Does that mean I get to watch Little Annie while you're gone?" Padmé asks a smile wide on her face.

"Well, Han is staying too, but I'm sure he'll gladly let you take over while Luke and I are away." She smirks.

"I'd hate to make you do all of the work, but if you insist on watching her, I guess I could take a break." Han cooly replies. Leia rolls her eyes and elbows him in the side.

"I love watching her. I'll happily do it." Padmé chuckles. She glances over at the child filled with so much light that it's almost blinding. She's running in circles, explaining something to Luke, R2, and 3PO. Her infectious smile brings a soft laugh to Padmé's lips.

She holds back tears at the sight of a free child. She knows nothing of war. She knows nothing of pain. All she has ever experienced is love and joy. She has never feared for her life. She has been allowed to enjoy it and experience everything it has to offer. Her innocence is something that every being in the galaxy should be allowed to have.

The Empire took that away from her children. Luke and Leia were toted from base to base. Padmé and Obi-Wan had to do everything in their power to try and keep them hidden from everyone until it was impossible. Her children weren't allowed to be themselves. They were forced to take on secret identities, hiding their last names. They had to do things in order to survive that no child should ever have to do.

But this New Republic has become the dream that they always talked about. People can go where they please, do what they love. Looking at this little girl, Padmé is grateful for what had to be done. She lost many friends, Bail especially in the many years of battles. But it's clear that it was for a good cause. Bail died for something bigger than either he or Padmé could have imagined.

Now, the galaxy is free to be independent and happy.

Annie Solo is a prime example of a child who has reaped from the hardships her parents endured. She is carefree and joyous. She is everything a parent wants their child to be. At night, when she lays down for bed, she doesn't wonder if she'll get to see tomorrow. She asks what she'll get to do. She talks about the future, knowing that she gets a choice.

Annie runs over to Padmé, startling her. Her arms wrap around Padmé legs. She looks up, her cheerful blue eyes meeting Padmé's brown ones. "I love you, Gramma."

"I love you too, my Annie." Padmé softly replies, running her hand over the child's dark hair. "And I always will."

**~~~~~~~~~~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that concludes this book!
> 
> I seriously want to thank all of you for all of the support I have received on this book. You have made this such a fun experience. A couple of months ago, I never could have dreamed of this becoming as big as it did. Every comment you've left has seriously helped motivate me to keep writing and I am so grateful for all of you. So again, THANK YOU!!
> 
> I'll be going back to school again in just a few weeks. This, unfortunately, means that my writing time will be cut down significantly. I guess I should take my learning more seriously than Star Wars hahaha.
> 
> I do plan on writing a Sith Obi-Wan book. I am planning on having it come out around Thanksgiving. I want to set up another update release date like this. I'll probably update every Friday again once I'm on winter break. By then, I should have a plan ready for that book that I hope will knock your socks off! Things are going to get saucy there ;)
> 
> And to finally finish off this long note, I would like to say that you can reach me on Wattpad and FanFiction.net. I'll have my same username: magicgoldenflower. I am always happy to chat, whether it's about Star Wars, ideas for the new book, or just to chat! I love making new friends and I hope to hear from you guys very soon!

**Author's Note:**

> So this is only going to have five chapters to it. I am thinking I am going to update every Friday. If this gets a lot of comments saying that they would like this into a bigger book, I'll consider it. I just need to come up with a few more ideas to explore, haha.


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